A CANADIAN life less ordinary

Back by inspiration from Emma Duncan!

2009-03-19T17:04:00.002Z

I’m ashamed at how long it has been since my last blog! So long infact that I couldn’t remember my log in. I don’t think I’ve looked at blogs since I last updated. But a long non eventful day at work led me to Emma’s blog where I got re inspired to blog – I think it was her new haircut, which Ems, looks lovely- I love it!!

I’m still working for MW, I will be here until September and then the world will be my oyster or at least the UK and Canada as by then I will hopefully be a Canadian Resident. Which means I can come and go freely from the UK to Canada and work in either place. I won’t be tied to a specific organisation in Canada. I will still be a Northern Irish Citizen – No worries there!

Quick updates: I will be home in May for 2 weeks, I’m currently looking to buy a car, just a wee run about for the summer, the snow has finally melted and the sun has come back. Like Ems I also got a new hair cut except I didn’t like it and had to go back and get it re shaped.

Mum and Dad hit the TO

2008-09-15T15:30:00.003+01:00

Mum and Dad came to visit last week. It was nice to show them where I live and work. We spent the first day in my local area. We walked the boardwalk along the front of Lake Ontario, went for coffee, walked some more had lunch and came back to the house for them to meet Paul, Lisa and the kids. We had a lovely evening and everyone got on really well. The next day Emma, Lisa and I took them for a tour downtown. We went to the Royal Ontario museum, Toronto Island and the CN Tower. The next day was very relaxed I showed them the office where I work and we all then went out for dinner. The next day they flew out to Calgary and they will drive from there to Vancouver. I will see them again next week on their way back through Toronto.

Here’s to Karen and Ruth Anne visiting next week!
Pictures: Right: Mum, Dad and I, Left: Emma, Lisa and I. Both taken on Toronto Island

Summer etc

2008-09-15T15:08:00.007+01:00

I'm sorry my blog has gone down hill and I used to be such a regular updater! I last left you just as the summer began…The summer was good but different from last year. It was hard to work a proper 9-5 day what with people calling in for chats, one on ones, not liking what’s for lunch so going into town, watching/ being involved with program so work wise it was unsettling at times and once I had started to get used to it, the summer was nearly over.
Kate and I went to see Coldplay at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto- It was A-mazing! We had seats to the side of the stage and could see everything that was going on. As full time staff we did different activates each week, my favorite were the giant swing, paintball and water skiing. A massive highlight from the summer was my good friend Emma coming to visit. She is arrived for the last 2 weeks of camp and is currently still here. It’s great to have someone from home to see and experience what I do and have here. Thanks for coming and staying with me Ems.

Here’s to finally getting a door on our room, Rosie going to bed with a bug, pretending to be on night watch, lashes, the Fighting Irish, Nipissing Road, Bulk food store pizza, Sneak out girl in Emma’s cabin, Orange vs Red, Being stationed in the J1 boys bathrooms for the Batman game, Back to the future at Impact, “Your accent rocks”, Saved by the Bell, to Viva la vida, massage day, looking after Jack, sorting the Romania Bags, That 70’s show, to Caitlin stalking Kurt and Goldie and the farmers market, Lisa thinking that a bear could open her trailer door and come in, “remember when…”, to Braden and Yetunde’s visit, watching a beaver chop down a tree, the bean game, trying to explain to someone that I am not in fact Scottish, working the front gate on Saturday mornings, the paintball instructors opening fire on us, to the wee boy climbing out from under the porch during the clowns game wanting a lift on our golf cart then running away when Brody scared him, to accidently walking on stage with Mary just before the closing show of clowns, and to Emma falling over at the fireworks.
Pictures: Top- Kate, Rosie and I before Paintball, 2nd- Coldplay!

Home- I wrote this ages ago and didnt post it. More soon.

2008-07-13T17:49:00.002+01:00

Yes, I know about time this was updated. But here I am back at last. So I last posted in March. Lots of time has past with lots of memories and funny stuff which will probably go unblogged. However I am now up at camp for the summer sitting in my very own trailer office in the forest! It’s great to be back up here, to see people I have not seen in a while and to meet lots of new staff. A fair few from the N. Irish shores which is nice. I’m still settling and readjusting from my trip home. I got back on Monday past. It was a great time at home, felt like I was home a lot longer than I was. It’s a true blessing to come home and feel like I had never left and be able to just pick up friendships where they left off regardless of how much contact there was during the year. My time was mainly spent catch up with friends and family, a wee trip up to the north coast and Dave and Jens wedding. I have to say Northern Ireland is definitely still home. Work has got a lot better, my boss has left and her replacement starts on Friday. He is a guy called Brian and he worked at Muskoka Woods a number of years ago, he has a real vision and passion for the job and I’m excited to work with and for him. I think my job will actually start with him, I’m looking forward to getting my teeth stuck in with some encouragement and direction. Home life is good, still getting on the best with the family I’m staying with. Although will well and truly miss my room and bathroom for the summer. Lisa and the kids are here for the summer as well. It will be nice to still have them about. I’m living with a couple of girls Kate and Rose, from the office. However currently we don’t have a door for our room, just a shower curtain! Hopefully that situation will be rectified soon. We have a sweet balcony with a lake view so really can’t complain. There are only 8 of us living there as opposed to the house I was in last year where they packed 24 of us in! Oh the blessings of being on full time staff.

Here’s to taking the dogs to the lake with Claire and Emma, eating at the Ramore winebar, driving mums new car, lots of home cooked food, “dwarfs would need to own this car… ACTUAL dwarfs!”, finding my flip flips, bug bites, Molly asking where I was all the time when I was in N.I and then went I got back ignoring me, Tim Horton turkey and bacon sandwich and to summer weather.

Ski day, Easter & Sun burn

2008-03-21T18:05:00.008Z

It’s been a fairly normal week. What did suck about it was that I only got good Friday off! No Easter Monday or Tuesday for me! This is a true sign of being in the big bad world! On Friday I made dinner for the family I’m staying with and a couple of friends which seemed to be a success as there was not a lot let over. We then went to church and to the cinema with some friends from up north. Saturday and Sunday was very relaxed didn’t do much apart from go to church. On Monday Muskoka Woods had a ski day for all guests, staff and alumni. It was an hour north of Toronto outside Barrie. It was a good time no bones were broken. However I didn’t get sun burnt and we got stuck in lots of traffic on the 400 due to an accident which held us up for well over an hour. I’m going up north for a meeting tomorrow and then working from the office up there and coming back down the road on Saturday afternoon. It’s always nice to spend time at camp and not have to work rec staff!

Here’s to “I’ll bust your britches!”, The Easter bunny forgetting to come, Molly letting me put her pajamas on her without crying!, Going on Emma’s (the 5 year old) field trip with her- we’re going to a maple syrup farm should be good times had by all, bad mental images, Cadburys popping mini eggs, to Molly dipping her pasta and chicken into her orange juice before eating it, "what was i thinking? a t shirt and a suede jacket! I might as well be naked!", and to"and I was sick, I knew I was sick because there was sick beside me"
Pictures: Top- Lisa, myself and Megan. Bottom- Kate, Roise and Jordan. Taken at the ski day. All people I work with.

Walks, talks & lake views

2008-03-18T21:02:00.009Z

Things are ticking along nicely. Work is good picking up rightly and getting busy. I took the opportunity to explore my local area by foot the other day. Now that it is starting to heat up a tad it was a lot more pleasurable. Where I am living its less than a five minute walk to Lake Ontario. You can see right across to the states from the cliffs. It will be a great place to go walking once the ground dries up a bit more. And hopefully not just walking as I officially today started my running season [My running season being from when it snows until it stops snowing!] I needed to post a couple of letters so I decided to run to the post office a couple of kilometers away. All was well my new trainers were fine but it is still mighty cold, will will be nice to not have to dress warm to go running- Bring on Spring and Summer!!

Here’s to Facebook scrabble, dreams of traveling out west with Emma, “Not dat way waychel, not dat way!”, Emma asking me to go on her class trip with her, to Monday night chat time, "Shrek babies" the roof falling through in Paul and Lisa’s bedroom,“You couldn’t get any less Irish…”, working from home, to cooking on Good Friday, writing letters, the extremely bad waiter at the pickle barrel, going to Rainforest café for Montana’s birthday, celebrating St Patrick’s day with Rosie and Kate and to running out of petrol due to the petrol light deciding not to work!

New year's reading

2008-03-09T00:26:00.007Z

For the longest time now I’ve wanted to become a reader. I think it’s a good thing to be able to sit down and read instead of movies and tv. Inspired by avid readers my parents and my dear friend Emma [Miss you Ems]. I have decided to make myself read. My goal is one book a month. So far I’m on target with my 3rd book. I have read the Kite Runner, We need to talk about Kevin and my current book is The boy in the striped Pajama’s. The next two books that I have lined up for April and May are the curious incident of the dog in the night and my sister’s keeper. I’ll be buying my 6th book at Toronto Airport in June just before I fly home!! I even know that it will be a thousand splendid suns by the same guy that wrote the kite runner. Hopefully ill over achieve and read more than 12 books this year. There is nothing better than sitting by an open fire, with some candles and classic fm in the back ground reading a good book!

In like a lion, out like a lamb

2008-03-08T20:12:00.000Z

We have had some wicked snow storms of late. One is currently coming to an end. Out my bedroom window there is currently over 3 feet of snow. When I first moved in I could see the cars driving past. I’m told winter will be over soon. I really hope so I’m sick of the cold, wet feet, and climbing over mounds of snow. I was up north again last weekend. Always a good time. Lindsay is now working up there again so it’s nice to spend time with her and everyone else. We are organising our annual golf tournament this May (on my birthday). I was up north looking into golfer gifts and sponsorship with some of the local businesses. Work is going well; I’m currently working on our scholarship program. Last year we had 33 applications and this year we have 55. This is the first major responsibility I have in my job so it’s nice to be over target and to beat last year. I have a few meetings this week to discuss the applications. I was representing the Foundation the past couple of days at an event called ‘Missionfest’. Where lots of Christian organisations are represented. It was a good time to network and let other people know what Muskoka Woods is all about.

Here's to "sure", Taking Cameron out on Tuesday night to look for tech decks, "If that accent got any thicker you could walk on it!", people watching at Missionfest, starting house season 2, "It's called a head ache!!", taking 2.5 hours to get home in the snowstorm from missionfest, playing tickle monster, "or no?", meals out with friends, to ending up knee deep in snow getting pizza for Emma's party, heading up north again on Monday and to the woman helping herself so all our chocolate!

Wedding, ice rain and river

2008-02-24T00:59:00.006Z

I hate not blogging that often as it means I can never remember what has happened. Work is picking up. I’ve been given some good direction over the past week or so and I’m finally past the stage of always asking what I can do.
I was out last night at a restaurant called River, it’s where I am holding our annual autumn event. It is a place where all the workers from chef to waiters come from an underprivileged background. The idea of River is to train them and give them an experience and an opportunity to further themselves. I was very pleased with the place its very sharp with great character and the food was really good. So I’m happy with my choice esp as I had booked it before I had ever been!

I was up north at my old bosses Braden and Yetunde’s wedding. It was great to see them and hang out with them the days running up to their wedding. Driving was interesting we stayed at a cottage which was well off the beaten track and on a lake. There was ice rain on Saturday so driving there was actually like driving on a wet ice rink! It took me 45 mins to drive what should have been 5 minutes. But better to be late then end up in a snow bank! We went for brunch at Braden’s parent’s house the morning after the wedding. It literally felt like I was driving to the ends of the earth, driving along snow roads and through forests and lakes.

Here’s to the African party, “I’ve been told I need to listen to that girl talk”, spinning my car on the ice, “CLAY PIGEON SHOTING!!!”, Molly finally starting to acknowledge me, high tailing out of a 25/40 group, “win a date with kate!”, getting addicted to Mario brothers, having the Brushetts over for dinner, Sabrina trying to carry the cat, going ice skating and not falling but Emma (5) skating faster than me!, Sandra not understanding when I said marathon, to starting to watch House, “Do you smell ham?”, the middle bit of my car breaking, Yetunde laughing at my anger of the middle part of my car breaking!, and to “and you would kill a puppy with a baseball bat?!”

Picture: The road to Bradens house. I drove for 30 minutes it felt ike the ends of the earth. Was very freaky for some reason when I stopped the car and got out to take pictures. I dont think I have ever felt as far from home as I did durng those few moments.

Books, hockey and pizza

2008-02-09T20:04:00.001Z

The Kite runner: read it- I’m not going to lie to you it may rip your heart out several times. However a great book. I finished it on Friday afternoon and went and watched the film that night. The film was
good but I felt they rushed the ending. If
you have only watched the movie you NEED to read the book. There is so much more detail and feeling.

Here’s to going to watch Cameron’s hockey game and freezing!, making my first cake, flying home on 2nd June for a few weeks!, (red) cards, my 24 poster finally staying up, to going to Boston pizza for Trish’s birthday, calling that we would be taken out for lunch on Trish’s birthday, "always a pleasure never a chore", getting my health card and sin number, the Brushetts coming for dinner, to David doodling, both doors of my car freezing shut!, "for you a thousand times over", tickle monster, learning to play poker, the basement nearly being finished, and to the day I never have to write another critical path!

Pictures: Cameron playing hockey- he's the one in blue closet to the left side. Then lisa [friend, co worker and landlord] and I.

First Cake I ever made!

2008-02-09T19:59:00.000Z

I made my first ever cake for a friend at works birthday! Everyone was most impressed when they learnt I made it from scratch!

The great white North

2008-02-03T21:12:00.000Z

I was up north to camp with Lisa and Lissa on fri-sat. Lisa works at the Foundation with me and Lissa is a producer and director. We went up to film some of the activities, hit up some places for sponsorship for the golf tournament and to interview some rec staff for this year’s donor report. My main interest for going up was to see everybody I’m not going to lie!! We left against the recommendation of the weatherman at 9am however the roads were not that bad. I took the white beast up the road to test her out. I was happy to discover she did not shake once she hit motorway speed! Was pretty sweet once I hit camp to have four wheel drive.

Today I learnt to skate. Paul is very happy, I progressed from using a support that the 5 year of the family uses, to skating with a stick and puck! I have a fair wee way to go as the 7 year old can skate rings round me! Apparently I’m half way to being a Canadian now! -NEVER!

I also went to church this morning; I find it very hard not to compare it with Ballynahinch Baptist. The church is the first of a few I’m trying. It is the closest to where I live. There was approx 50-60 people. The worship was good but I found the speaker hard to follow. They didn’t have many people my age and not much for me to get involved in, which is what I’m looking for most right now in a church besides a sound speaker and worship. I want to find some good fellowship in my localish area.

Ireland vs Canada:
- When you park your car at the side of the road you have to climb over a giant lump of snow to reach the pavement!
- Cream is not marked as specifically as it is at home. I had to try 3 different kinds today before I found the right one!
- In Canada a handbag is a purse, milk comes in a bag and purple skittles are grape flavor rather than berry

Here’s to “Mummy now we have 5 kids in our family!”, catch up chats, reading the kite runner, stopping at 4 different restaurants in Barrie to end up eating at Wendy’s because everywhere was so busy!, Lindsay deciding to go back up and work at the woods, “You will have take my mums car as your car doesn’t fit all the kids”, Molly’s coat and hat that make her look like Lucy from Narina or straight from the 1800’s!, "I'm cool like that!", to Bent River being closed, playing with sticklebrick (brought back some good childhood memories!) Wales beating England, “You lied to me!”, wrestling/snow fight with Matt Pearce outside Ferndale, Going tubing but not tubing, "If somethng was big how would you describe it?", playing settlers cities and knights, “Alright mucker!” , Molly (2) still not giving me the time of day and its been over a month! and to “Just stick a candle in an apple!"

Pictures: Top right is camp, then Cameron with half the street playing hockey and then me looking like I am a confident hockey player!

Back in the land of the Maple leaf

2008-01-27T19:12:00.000Z

Being back in Canada has been good. I have moved into my lodgings. I am renting a basement from a woman at work. It’s only been 3 weeks but I have no complaints. There are 4 kids in the family I’m renting from: Montana 9, Cameron 7, Emma 5 and Molly 2. They are great kids. I live 20 minutes from work, its right on Lake Ontario, it’s near a mall and the highway. My room was ready when I came back the living area and bathroom should be finished sometime this week. Paul the dad of the family is really into ice hockey and has made an ice rink in the back garden apparently I will be learning how to skate! And have already been to a hockey game.

Work is starting to pick up, I’m beginning to grow into my full responsibilities and am pretty busy at times. Sometimes I feel out of my depth but I keep remembering all the reasons that confirmed it to me that I am meant to stay in Canada and that keeps me persevering. I knew a lot of people in the office before I started but its good to deepen friendships in the Toronto area as a lot of my friendships were made up at the camp.

I’m going to Romania in May for 2 weeks. I’m on the ministry leadership team which I’m really excited about. I’ve really missed going to Ukraine so it will be great to be involved in a team again and experience Romania for the first time. If all goes according to plan I will be home for a time in June before the madness of the summer starts. The entire Toronto office moves up to camp for the summer. So I will carry on my current job up there as well as taking on other responsibilities.

Northern Ireland vs Canada:
Since I got back I’ve started to notice wee differences between here and home more so than when I was at camp. They do not have Kellogg’s Crunchy Nut Corn flakes here and their Frosties are called Frosted Flakes, and apparently custard is not served often with dessert nor can it be found in supermarkets at least the ones I’ve looked in. After this knowledge when I went shopping last week all I want to eat is crunchy nut cereal and custard! To be clear this would not be a combo! ALSO how ridiculous is this law of the road: In North America when driving you can turn right on a red light as long as there is nothing coming. This is a good idea HOWEVER with this rule pedestrians can cross the road so you see cars literally driving through groups of people crossing the road. This also happens on a green light turning left.
My next point which is more of an annoyance and really should be Belfast vs Toronto is that it takes SO long to get anywhere! The other night it took me an hour and 15 mins to get to my friends house on the other side of Toronto! It’s not like Belfast where you just meet on the Lisburn road!

Here’s to “Can you say a sentence without the word wee in it?, cinnamon and apple pita bread, watching planet earth, lunchroom banter, to the white beast, my boss quitting (It was nothing to do with me arriving!), flannel sheets, “Should be fine”, Molly still not acknowledging me after 3 weeks, seeing pictures of Claire, Emma, Paul and Fiona at the Muskoka Woods Alumni event and to going to up north to camp on Friday.

Pictures: My office and my car. When my place is finished ill post some pictures of where I am living.

Home SWEET home

2008-01-26T02:37:00.000Z

Sorry it’s been a while. I have been super busy since I got back. Firstly being home for 3 weeks at Christmas was amazing. I couldn’t of asked for a better time. It was such a blessing to come home with friends and family I had not seen in a year and to feel like I had never been away. It is true what they say there is no place like home.

Here’s to “Mothers of orphans”, outings in the coop, playing settlers, getting lost at new years, taking many a picture with Emma Rice, Tripping it up to Drumcera with Ems and CP in the Kangoo, The N.I Muskoka,Woods Chrsitmas party. to the 6 minutes at Drumcrea!, Emma complaining about the coop, Sunday nights at Niall’s, country fried chicken kebabs, getting stuck in Ballynahinch during the snow storm and to great friends.

Picture: Some of the Northern Ireland folk that were at the woods in the summer

HOME!!

2007-12-17T01:16:00.000Z

I am very happy to announce that I am back home for the festive period, until 6th January. Very good times ahead. Im also very happy there is no snow!!

Staff Retreat, headbands & getting lost.

2007-12-09T02:00:00.000Z

We all went away on our work staff retreat Tuesday to Friday. It was so much fun, a great time to build relationships and meet new people. We went to a conference centre in Guelph which is about an hour south of Toronto. We had to bring a couple of crazy customs with us for a quiz and one of the meals which was entertaining. There was a speaker from New York talking about emotionally healthy spirituality and time to hear more about what is on the cards for Muskoka Woods in the next wee a while. Not to mention time to hang out, play games and some competitions!

Work itself is still going very well; I’m looking forward to getting stuck in when I get back in the New Year. Muskoka Woods is an amzing place to work very relaxed and friendly. Not to mention having a great vision and mission. I have also found somewhere to live. It’s in the beaches in Toronto, 20 minutes from work. A newly converted, Ikea furnished basement and will be ready for me to move into when I fly back after Christmas. The best part was I didn’t even have to look for a place the owner approached me about it. I will have my own space but there is also an amazing family upstairs that will be there if I need anything or to spend time with. Best of both worlds I feel. I should also have my car soon so it’s all coming together very well. God is good.

Here’s to searching for the mighty craic, Rosie’s 12.15am birthday celebrations, winning a basket full of games, Mike pranking Jogn with Blackberry's, Tina trading and getting a tin of spam, late night laughs and chat times with Lisa, Catherine and Leslie, Josh and Rebecca dressing up as Wolverine and Jane, going bowling, making Christmas hampers, to “this is the table of hate!”, crazy air hockey matches, the story of the lips, playing headbands for hours, playing extreme guess who, Matt getting very frustrated playing headbands, John making us go outside with no coats on, to Lisa getting us lost on the way to Ikea, dinner at my bosses house, watching a high school basketball game, seeing Alice, AC, Claire and Arlene on Wednesday, Going to Romania in May and to coming home very soon.

Pictures: Top myself in search of the mighty craic, The guys in tux's are directors at Muskoka Woods and were are valet parking and door men when we arrived at the retreat. The guy second in on the left will be on the team im going to Romania with, then there is us playing headbands [so much fun- I will buy it!] then Heather, Kate and I carrying on during bowling.

Snow ploughs, flags & jig saw puzzles

2007-12-03T20:41:00.000Z

I was up north at camp this weekend for the last weekend of Fall rec staff, it was a long, fun but tiring weekend. The weather/roads were really bad. I left the office in Toronto at 4.45 and arrived at 11.30pm most the way we were behind snow ploughs which is not a bad thing considering the snow storm that we were driving through!

One thing to note from this weekend was on our last night we decided it would be a good idea to prank the general manager. So at 2am in the middle of a snow storm we walked down to the flag pole and took down the Canadian flag and put up the Northern Ireland flag and put the Canadian flag in Don’s pigeon hole. Was good banter the next day, However I was told today that the cable ties we used to put the Canadian flag back up snapped so I’m sure when I see Don tomorrow at our staff retreat I will take some abuse!

Here’s to “This is Rachel, she’s from Northern Ireland and she got the job your boyfriend applied for!”, “Surely in a mini van you would just sit up to get attention!”, to getting my Blackberry, “should be fine”, Cleaning up Hazelwood, convincing Joel that Quizno's is a clean place to eat, “is this the stuff that tastes like candy?”... “Its water!”, to playing settlers with constant accent abuse!, going for the last Bent River dinner for a while, “Did someone say there was vomit? No they said they were GOING to vomit”, to Second cup choco mint chillers, “ No no… its either black or its white” “oh I just wrote on my forehead!”, Staying up until 3.30am to finish a 500 piece jigsaw puzzle to find my next secret angel clue, convincing Alice and Arlene to walk up to golf at 3.30am to get the next clue, to Alice and Arlene freaking out walking up to golf and to the Irish contingency.

Dinner, weekend & a hunt

2007-11-25T21:11:00.000Z

I have to say I love my new job… Thursday night was the annual fundraising dinner which I have to organizing for next year. It was great to be able to start the week running up to it so I can experience it first hand and see what is expected of me next year. It was good to see some old friends and to meet some board members and people I’ve to work with.

I came back up to the woods at the weekend. I’m so glad I did. Last Friday before I left as a staff we did Secret Angels. I thought since I would be down in Toronto my angel would have an easy time of it but I was wrong! When I arrived on Friday night I had a note in my pigeon hole with a code on it to lead me to another code. I spent all Friday night and Saturday going all over camp looking for people, places, solving puzzles and jumping through a few hoops it was a lot of fun, the last message was I could have my prize or continue next weekend obviously I chose next week. It’s been great fun especially as a lot of the staff are in on it helping my angel. I’m looking forward to what they have in store for me next weekend.

Here’s to sliding down the tubing hill on skateboards at 1am, waking Arlene up, Alice screaming when the birds flew out of the trees, Arlene thinking she saw 2 bears on the way up to B3, “Don’t talk to Don, talk to Robin”, Matthew Robert Zinc, seeing my first moon dog, going to the Christmas Bizarre in Rosseau, the Bulk food store jokes, the best thing since sliced bread, continually taking the longest road from Josh, radio banter with Don, watching Heroes with Matt, “You’re the big T!” The return of oatmeal raisin cookies and to looking forward to going to work tomorrow.

Public transport, green truck & snow

2007-11-22T17:11:00.000Z

My new job is pretty sweet I have to say really enjoying it and looking forward to really getting my teeth stuck in over the next few weeks. There is a great atmosphere in the office very relaxed and comfortable. I’m staying downtown this week and thought I was doing well with public transport until this morning when I made a few school boy errors-
1) I got off the subway at the wrong station.
2) Tried to get on the bus at the drop off point rather than the boarding area.
3) I wasn’t balance when the bus pull out and I fell on top of a randomer.
4) I got on the wrong bus and had to get off in the middle of no where and wait for another one.

I was 20 minutes late due to above 5 points but it was ok my boss was also just getting in!

Here’s to getting my own car soon, going back up to the woods to work this weekend, walking in the rain, staying with Yetunde this week and catching up on the past 6 months, finding an outfit for a work fundraising dinner on Thursday night, to Arlene accidentally volunteering to work this weekend, Claire ripping the back pocket of my jeans, watching 3 hours of Miami ink, to going to the US/Canada border next week to get my work permit extended, the current snow storm, Arlene and the green truck fiasco [For some reason someone thought it would be a good idea to let her drive!] to my first bent river burger, racing Kenny on the zipline, looking up at the stars as light snow starts to fall over the lake, “Have you ever met me before?!” and to Alice.

Pretty, huge, massive announcement!!

2007-11-17T02:04:00.000Z

So here it is… I was offered and have accepted a new full time position with the Muskoka Woods Foundation in Toronto!! I start on Monday. I have known for a few weeks but it’s only become official within the last few days.

The position is a development coordinator and is a new position. The Foundation works along side Muskoka Woods as an organization that helps run its projects such as send a kid to camp, a scholarship program, project 52 and helps support project Romania. My job is to over see some of these projects as well as recruiting new volunteers and organizing fundraising events. Hopefully ill be going to Romania in May if everything works out.
Check out the website and read all about the Foundation.

I am VERY excited! I can’t believe I’m committing to live here for a while and am not freaking out!! I felt like I was waiting for ages for a job like this something I can get excited about and give my all too and make a difference!

Here's to being home in a month, going down zipline being the last thing I did on Rec Staff and to lots more stuff I'll record at another time!

Specialists, would you rather & Bent River

2007-11-13T02:49:00.000Z

I would just like to note that I had a great day today for no real reason it was just a great day!!

Here's to "That’s because Claire you have my fav-ORR!!”, playing would you rather all day, “Today I made and threw my first snowball at Rachel, then later on today I made and threw my second ever snowball at Rachel!”, John v’s Josh beard/mustache growing competition, “Would you rather punch… “ dying Gareths hair, “Radio Check”, Orienteering specialists, Alice finding the flag, “I would eat its tongue!, no Rachel eat its dung not its tongue!!”, dressing up to play capture the flag, my settler’s battle with Josh, “It’s ok I’m a trained professional!”, driving to Toronto in a blizzard, Matt buying me a pie, Arlene’s good night hugs, watching BBC Planet Earth with Alice, Arlene and Hannah, to the title of my next blog being- Pretty, huge, massive announcement!

Pictures: View of the Lake at the weekend top one includes the boat house, us prepared for battle against the boys in capture the flag then Bex and I at Bent River.

Snow, Heroes & digging holes

2007-11-08T00:38:00.000Z

It started to snow today!! Which was great but way to cold. Weird to think we were wearing shorts a couple of weeks ago. Things are starting to slowly whind down here over the next few weeks with smaller schools in which gives us time to rest and hang out as a staff and do lots of fun silly things & stay up way later then we should.

Here’s to “I think I should be a percussionist”, Alice falling off the golf cart, taking Alice to hospital after she fell off the golf cart, watching Heroes into the wee hours of the morning with Matt, sing a long times, playing capture the flag, going to Barrie shopping, to Fruit fest 2007, “aahhh you amuse me no end”, the return of settlers, "RACHEL KIRK... Oh no you did'nt?!!" to discovering the reason why I stayed for fall [more on that soon] “Just tell them you have chest pains and you’ll be in right away!”, flying home with Arlene, “STOP…don’t…” locking Alice’s keys in her car, “I’m so distracted… people are stripping!”, catching over 40 mice, “I’m digging a hole again aren’t I?”, finally getting my visa extension, “You realize you just gave a small child a piece of plastic to put over her head?!”, wolferine, and to Caitlin coming to visit at the weekend.

Wabora, crowbars & "Excellent"

2007-10-26T02:07:00.000+01:00

The good times are continuing to roll along well. We are now half way through this fall season. Hard to believe, Arlene and I have started a countdown until we’re home, can’t wait for some good home cooked food! [Mum ill email you a list!] And to catch up with everyone! A year is along time to catch up on!

It was Matt’s birthday on Monday and we all went out for Japanease Wabora. It was a great night one of the best meals out I’ve had at the woods. The food and craic was immense and the night was polished off with some karaoke and a trip to Walmart.

Here’s to singing My Girl with John Matthews, golf cart antics with Alice and Arlene, wreaking myself on the tube hill, “Steph Kerr is a fruit!!..” “My mother is right behind you” “its ok we call her that all the time…” “you call our daughter a fruit?!”, Throwing Matt in the lake, “Do any of you play hockey?” “No we’re Pilipino!” chasing deer, getting bitten by a spider that was on Matt’s coat, to Lauren coming to visit this weekend, “Excellent”, the gong show that was capture the flag, a kid running out the forest holding a crow bar shouting “Look what I found” during a game!, Arlene pushing me off of her top bunk and to going up trees.

Pictures: Top Steph, me, Matt [the birthday boy] and John, Bottom: Kate, Katie, Hannah, Nessa, Kenny and Gareth

Bears, singing & Travellers challenge

2007-10-16T01:00:00.000+01:00

Thankfully the massive school has left and Muskoka Woods has returned to normal. One very exciting thing that happened today was we saw a baby bear. We [being all the internationals] decided to go look for the mother bear- according to Canadians that’s a bad idea. Fortunately/unfortunately we didn’t find her.

At the weekend some summer people came up to visit which was great. Nice to see people and relive some great memories! On Saturday night we decided to go to Bent River for dinner. There was about 8-10 of us that went. Everyone was looking at the menu when these four guys suddenly drew my attention mainly by the way they were acting and the place they were standing. All of a sudden one of them blows into a harmonica and they start singing!! Barbour shop quartet style!! It was amazing and yet so bizarre as we were sitting in this wee old road side café! The banter between the 2 tables was great in fact within the whole place. They sang us 4/5 songs and we attempted to sing them something emphasis on attempted!

Here’s to Arlene’s mum creeping my blog, “What kind of man sells weapons to bunnies?”, going to the dump with Arlene to look for more bears and scaring the life out of ourselves!, “I feel like I’m eating a person!”, going to Romania, to the travelers IQ Challenge amongst the Rec Staff, getting new neighbors, summer hugs, to our Saturday night dance party, the school stealingt he bear from outside the office [it's pretty big!] and putting it outside Don Hood's house [The general manager!] to how cold it has suddenly gotten and to how amusing Claire is.

Pictures: Top- Sera, myself and Erika. Bottom- Arlene, myself, Erika and Alice with the singing men!! Good times..

Thanksgiving, Celebes & Windsor

2007-10-10T21:43:00.000+01:00

Last weekend was thanksgiving. We all pilled out of the woods on Friday afternoon, we decided to stop off in Rosseau (2 mins up the road from camp) were we met none other than… Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn!! Was pretty surreal! They have a holiday home in the next bay from Muskoka Woods and are occasionally spotted in the summer.

Highlights of the weekend apart from a home cooked thanksgiving me include:

- Going to Ontario place for a Chinese Lantern festival

- Andrew taking us on a late night tour of downtown via street cars, bus and the underground.

For the next 8 days we have a group in from Winsdor which is a city 7 hours south of Muskoka Woods. The group size is the same as we would have in the summer, nothing unusually you may think except in the summer we have over 300 staff but in the off season there is only 30!! So this week is going to be bedlum!! Bedlum I tell you!!

Here’s to Charles, regarding a hand stamp- “What does CLF stand for? “eh Chinese lantern festival!! You idiot!”, Arlene’s restless sleeping patterns, chatting overlooking lake Ontario, getting lost downtown, “You never wear socks… are you a hippy?”, Gareth not knowing who Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn were, Andrew’s surprise visit, to so far catching a total of 16 mice in Hazelwood, “That tastes like licking a barn”, Teasing John just after he woke up, " You can't squirt that... its toxic, thats why it's in a bottle", spilling my smoothie on the way down the Ferndale, Haze having a wee accident while mountain biking, listening to one cd all weekend, Amanda’s mum always trying to give me directions, to how amusing Claire is, "When your part of a staff delivering sensational days through safety, development, sizzle and detail it can be a long 8 days of straight work, especially when your are also creating a life changing experience where character and potential are developed!", “I like lamb chop she was bad @$$...” uh lamb chop was a sock puppet…” “yeah but a bad @$$ sock puppet!” and to a trip to the dentist.

Pictures: A wee view of the lake at sun set and Myself and Arlene at the lantern festival

The running bug

2007-10-01T16:13:00.000+01:00

Today I am in slight pain after running a half marathon yesterday. I ran every inch of it even managed a sprint finish! The race started at 7am the atmosphere was great with over 4,500 runners. We ran through downtown Toronto past the Air Canada centre and the CN Tower and along the water front on Lake Ontario. There was live music along the way including some Ukrainian dancers!!

I would like to thank my sponsors and my 3.5 hour play list.

Here’s to banging my arm in the climbing wall, my work permit running out as of 30th Sept and my extension not arriving on time!, new shoes, Arlene and Steph wrestling, preparation, to the second season of Heroes starting, meeting up with summer people, “I’m half Poland”, it being Thanksgiving this weekend, catching 4 mice in 4 traps in 1 room in 1 night, buying a jumper without a hood!, good times with Joni, Chris and Erika, And to my keys timing out.

Kirk vs Cameron Round 1

2007-09-28T04:40:00.001+01:00

Wrestling: The new Fall past time!

Weekend Banter

2007-09-28T03:28:00.000+01:00

Myself and a few friends went to Toronto for the weekend. Always nice to get out of the zoo for a few days. It was banterous beyond belief!! We mainly just chilled at Amanda’s house watched dvd’s, slept and went shopping.

Here’s to awkward turtle moments, the different stages of the awkward turtle, bbq at John Matthews house, winding down the window for air only for there to be a woman there who said hi (awkward turtle moment!), Arlene and I having continuous competitions, “I’ll rock, paper scissor you for it!”, “What’s your name? Jane, Jane? No Jane, aye Jane? No Jane, Jane as in J-A-N-E? yes jane… aye jane! No Jane… ok I’ve an accent I’m saying the same thing as you!”, If I had not decided to stay on until Christmas I would be on a flight home right now!, John being surprised I could keep up with him driving back up the road, Tim- “So if I marry Claire Ill be in good relations with New Zealand?!” Claire –“NO”, Melissa: “No I will not climb in the oven!”, the van getting stuck on the sailing beach!, the return of Wayne, our pizza eating competition, organizing a girls wrestling competition, me winning 3-0 of my current matches, having to go a mid night trip to Toronto in a thunder and lightly storm, to getting lost in Toronto during a thunder and lighting storm at 3.00am, to having the radio station up and running again, one of my kids having a little accident while mountain biking, “your face!!”, running a half marathon on Sunday and driving into Huntsville tonight reminiscing about the summer.

1/2 Marathon

2007-09-23T02:57:00.000+01:00

Today week I will be running a half marathon for the Muskoka Woods foundation. This is a huge challenge I set myself back in June and I have been working hard ever since to be able to complete it. As a team we are raising money to send under privileged kids to camp, raising money for a scholarship programme for staff and for project Romania. If you would like to support me in this challenge by donating money please clink on the link below. I will let you know how I got on next week. Including possibly a picture depending if I can still pose for one when I finish!

Scotiabank Toronto water front marathon.

Scroll down and on the left and click on the link sponsor an individual. Enter my name or search under Muskoka Woods foundation. Remember it will be in Canadian dollars. You pretty much get just over $2 for 1 pound.

New heights

2007-09-21T02:04:00.001+01:00

On Tuesday I got trained on how to run the zip line from the tower. The tower is 70 feet in the air. This is the only job on camp I have never done before. It is really nice to do something new even thought there are so many activates. It is however a job that is very scary my heart is in my mouth every time I sent 3 kids at a time off a small ledge with a 70 foot drop! With me being the one responsible for them sliding not falling!! I triple check them before they go. In time my confidence will grow but not too much that ill send thm without checking them at least twice! It is a sweet view from up there and again at times I can be alone as I wait for kids to climb the cargo net.

Pictures: On the right view from the top, left view to the bottom.

Solitude

2007-09-21T02:02:00.000+01:00

Until this afternoon I never fully appreciated the act of solitude. Thinking back I have not had any real time alone since winter. Once Spring hit everything in my life has been go go go… work, training, friendships. I’ve been getting less and less sleep and got busier with more friends and more responsibilities. Since the fall started I have craved time alone but never seem to get it, every time I sit alone its not long before people join me or if I go to my room its not long before people are looking for my fellowship it is a great thing to be wanted in friendships but all I want to do at times is sit alone. I got the afternoon off and for about 30 mins of that the house was silent and it was the best 30 mins I’ve had in a long time, I felt so refreshed afterwards. I then remembered a nice little spot that I found in the summer with a great view of the lake and as it turns out internet access! So here I will come and hide away. Read, sleep, listen & watch. Ill not tell anyone of my whereabouts and enjoy my own company. Living in community all the time has its advantages but solitude is not one of them!

Driving and running

2007-09-16T21:16:00.000+01:00

I’ve been doing a fair wee bit of both lately. It seems that when you’ve been at Muskoka Woods a while and you are a good worker, you get more responsibility and with responsibility comes trust and trust comes keys to the vans and cool new pick up trucks!! I’ve driven to Barrie a few times, the airport and was sent to Toronto this weekend so get furiture from Ikea and was intrusted with the Muskoka Woods credit card!. I was very pleased with myself when I was able to drive myself right to Lindsay’s door, stayed the night there then went to Ikea Saturday afternoon. I have to go back down to the airport on Monday to pick up Bex, hopefully 3rd time lucky nothing will go wrong I’ve already documented my first airport trip, the 2nd one I was told Claire arrived in terminal 3 so there I am doing laps and she is in terminal 1, then when I eventually found her, she had lost her luggage and had to go back to terminal 3 to try and find it. So 1.5 hours later and at least ¼ tank of petrol less we were finally on our way back up the road with no luggage.

My half marathon is in 2 weeks, I ran in an organized 10k race today to raise money for cancer and I have shaved 20ish minutes off my last recorded 10k race so was pretty happy its nice to see that my early morning efforts in the gym are paying off. If this half marathon goes ok and I’m in the country in May I think I might attempt the full Belfast Marathon, if not maybe the full Toronto one if I’m back here, who knows what’s in store for me…

Here’s to driving through the Mc Donald’s drive through singing along to My girl at the tops of our voices, for the first time to date driving onto the left side of the road, Arlene wreaking herself on the bike in the gym, convincing everyone that Arlene’s bike injury was in fact the marks from a Raccoon attack, michelle and Jono coming to visit, activites being cancelled due to a bear sighting, Matt Pearce and I trying to find the bear, being in charge that night when another one was spotted and having to REALLY go look for it, Joanne, to the woman at the Starbuck drive though telling us way to much about her life story, recognizing teachers and kids that came up to camp last year, Lindsay diving over the boxes on the back of the van, saying goodbye to Tom, break testing the van so Lindsay went flying forward, to running in the rain and to Boston pizza.

I have to say I’m pretty happy with my regular updates un like some… *cough EMMA cough*

Picture: Something to mark Tom's departure & Bex and I at the Ho down dance the last night of classic.

More summer

2007-09-11T19:48:00.000+01:00

I miss super Saturdays, I miss going into town on our nights off, I miss the tuck staff giving me abuse, I miss my Friday night flurry date, I miss being too hot, I miss soul house, I miss impact, I miss the radio station playing all day, I miss the BBQ on super Saturday, I miss chilling on the maintenance docks with the nurses, I miss walking up past the health care centre and having a chat with whoever is outside then moving on to chat to the senior high staff on my way to my room, I miss being the designated driver for the healthcare centre, I miss beechwood banter, I miss walking in on the girls watching the oc, I miss breakfast with Calais, I miss daily hug time, I miss the tuck girls always asking for free stuff, I miss the office calling me on the radio, I miss the all staff meetings, I miss there always being people sitting outside the office and Ferndale, I miss a lot about summer…

The fall is ok once again its hard not just only to settle after the summer but after having such good times last fall, winter and spring and adapting to a new leadership that are new and don’t really know what they are doing at times, Its hard not to just take it by the scruf of the neck and sort it out as I know it can be SO good here- Its frustrating, I have offered my advice at times and told them to use me whenever and for whatever so hopefully Ill be able to get involved even more as they find their feet.

Here’s to not being allowed to use our laptops at meals, all the anti social jokes, Tom going back to England tomorrow, always thinking that Rebecca’s name is Joanne, watching the Ireland match with Andy and Matt, “Kirky Turkey”, to pee races, my wrestling match with Arlene [current score 1-1], Hazelwoods free t-shirt competition, Lindsay coming for a surprise visit, going to Bent River for dinner, finally catching a mouse and to going to visit friends at the end of the month.

Pictures: Top myself, Steph & Sammy, below all the tuck crew, Bottom we have myself, Mike and Johnny this pictures makes me laugh the boys [both from N.I] just look so unimpressed!! [granted they did just play wet & wild] Plus the sky in the background is pretty sweet!!

Unsettled- But im sure it will be all good in the hood soon enough.

2007-09-07T16:41:00.000+01:00

The first week of Fall crew is drawing to a close. There have been more bad times than good times [but the good have been pretty sweet!] The summer is a hard season to recover from... and its hard not comparing this season to past seasons with my old beloved bosses [The left :-( ]. The thought of my road trip over to Alberta and Vancouver will help me through. I do know deep down that I'll be fine and given a couple of weeks ill fully be in the swing of it. It is nice to know the place and people so well and not being out of my depth.

Here's to the Kirk smirk, driving the new pick up truck to Barrie, for some reason not catching any mice with the current 12 set traps, repeating a prank, running 18 k tomorrow, the return of "that's sick, not like sick sick but sick!", anti social, remembering how much I hate ropes and to my new wee bum chum.

Pictures: Just a couple of the good times in Spring.

End of summer, sad times...

2007-09-04T16:14:00.000+01:00

I’m well gutted that the summer is over… There was a mass exit on Friday night. I went down to Toronto with some friends for the weekend and came back up here for Monday lunch time. Had a sweet weekend in Toronto stayed with different people each night but we all hung out during the day together was great banter. Went to a Toronto Blue Jays baseball game they played Seattle and won. Ate in a few Irish establishments, walked and took in the sights of Toronto. Was nice to chill in the city with good friends that will be surely missed, thankfully a good few of them live in Co Down so we will be re united at Christmas [one will sadly for them, have to wait until March!! Ha ha ha you know who you are]

Driving back in through the gates of the woods yesterday it was like a ghost town, no kids, no noise and a lot less familiar faces. But the new fall staff seem nice enough and a few summer people have stayed and a few old rec staff faces have returned so I think ill be in for some more good times.

Here’s to “the beach is that way…”, Mark losing one flip flop in the underground, the tubes being cancelled and having to walk half way downtown, staying in a nice hotel downtown one night the next sleeping like a hobo, to missing the tuck shop banter, escaping the dreaded bug, being in denial, “avec that’s french for with”, getting my own room for Fall, depressing ourselves listening to all the summer beats, Sophia, missing the daily nurses hugs, running up a considerable phone bill, saying goodbye and hoping one day to say hello again, mouse trapping out Hazelwood, singing Irelands call at the game, “Laying down the craic”, to having Matt Pearce and John Matthews back at the woods, “You’re a FRUIT!”, winning the team challenge last night go team A.B.T.U!!, "Seriously Bex... Road trip!", hitting the gym even more hard core in prep for the half marathon in little under a month, Bex waking me during the night to catch a mouse, “Aye!” the last night of classic dance party and to Fall crew 2007!!

Pictures: Top- Mark, myself, Dave, Tash & Andy. Mike, Stu and Justin are in the background- you just need to know where to look!, Below left- Myself, Mark & Andy. Bottom- Shot of the game.

Classic, nearing the end & Winston

2007-08-27T17:38:00.000+01:00

Classic is well underway and has been great so far. Last night was the 24 night. The game started off as a press conference, as President David Palmer is given an address to the public he is attacked and kidnapped, the kids then had to go round 24 different stations which included rescuing people from a burning school bus, swimming in the lake undetected, a paint ball maze, storming and storage container, using GPRS systems, running after terrorists, all the stations were pretty sweet. Then the end show of Jack capturing the terrorists was cool he blew them up with a bazooka. I now this all seems very far fetched you really need to be here to see it they did such a good job. Tonight is Ghost busters and it sounds like its going to be just as good.

John Duncan and Lorna Mc Causeland are over for a few days nice once again to see people from home. I had some experience meeting them at the airport I got down there ok and met them, came back up to the car and it would not start, I spent 4.5 hours in the car running here there and every where on the phone off the phone- rent a car / stay the night / tow the car!! Eventually we got sorting with a ride back to camp and got the car towed. As the car is being towed out of the airport we get stopped and asked to prove that we own the car cut long story short… I got interrogated by airport police to prove I was not trying to steal the car, turned out the police officers grandparents were from Belfast and she had heard of Muskoka Woods so it was all rosey in the end. Always love a good story.

Here's to "All areas on radio, all areas on radio as far as the office is aware all guests have been accounted for", Aerosmith- I don't want to miss a thing, "Layin down the craic since 1979", "You are a fruit, fruit not like fruit fruit but fruit, the kind that you eat!", Clifford, how much I love and will miss my tuck staff, the late show, peer pressure blurt, the grind patrol, a year to the day on Thursday, bent river pie, Rosseau ice cream, going to Toronto and not knowing where I'm staying on Saturday night and to an out standing summer... and being in denial that its drawing to a close.

Ukraine

2007-08-23T20:48:00.001+01:00

I’ve been pretty homesick for Ukraine the past few days, its come up a lot in conversations about our passions and things we have done in the past and what we hope for in the future. I can’t wait to go back, I can’t wait to have an opportunity to lead another team. I could look at the picture of these kids for hours and remember so many wonderful memories. I hope that all the experience and character building I have got here in Canada will go to good use in future.

Pulling muscles, famous dogs & Classic

2007-08-23T20:21:00.000+01:00

Continuing to have good times in Canada despite missing Ukraine and ill admit it home a wee bit, most other people are leaving so hearing them talk about home has made me slightly want to come home at the end of the summer but I know its right for me to still be here until Christmas.

Went out on a speed boat to Port Carling for dinner the other night and ran out of petrol on the way back on the main channel of Lake Rosseau at 11pm at night, was pretty funny we had to phone the woods and get someone to come and tow us back in! Was pretty sweet lying in a boat drifting and looking at the stars, saw 3 shooting stars.

Went out for dinner last night to Bent River it was a normal night until my friend Caitlin said lets do a drive by of Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell’s house which is 5 min drive from camp. We reach the entrance of their house which may I add you cant even see it from the road and 2 dogs come out Caitlin and Melissa jump out to play with them and as it turns out we (and by we I mean they) played with their dogs!! Next thing we hear a whistle and a guy shouting so we jumped in the car and legged it! Very very random!!

I can’t believe it’s the last week so summer next week. When I came back to Canada after Christmas I thought September was so far away and now I wish it would never come. The last week is called ‘classic’ and from what I’ve heard it’s going to be crazy!! They put 60% of the summer budget into classic alone! So the shows, games, snacks are going to be amazing! The theme nights from what I have heard so far include 24, Heroes and ghost busters and from what I’ve seen of Muskoka Woods so far they don’t do things by half its going to be a sweet week.

Here’s to “Hey I think we used to be related”, “Our cabin sucks… oh wait we have a black counselor SICK!!, The tuck staff playing pranks, driving to the airport on Saturday for the first time, impact, listening to fix you, watching the show at Cleveland’s house, seeing a snapping turtle, “imagine if I was this tall!?” and to pulling muscles.

Pictures: Top my good friends Chris, Erika & Joni, then Cailtin and I with possibly Goldie & Kurts dogs, then myself with 2 of the tuck girls.

"Yeah", beechwood banter & 16k

2007-08-17T19:11:00.001+01:00

Been having the best time recently. Although I am for sure burning the candle on both ends. In bed earliest 12.30-1am and up everyday at 5.30am except for one day a week! All my own fault. I can’t believe that apart from being home at Christmas for 2 weeks I’ve pretty much now been here a year!! And what a fantastic year it has been!!

Have been tubing a few times… great banter one of the times I got thrown off we were going so fast that I skimmed across the water on my back- it was pretty sick! I’m going water skiing on Tuesday so hopefully that will be just as good fun. Hopefully going down to Toronto with the guys from Northern Ireland for a few days after the summer I’m really going to miss them when they go. But will be great to have get together at Christmas.

Still continuing to train for the Toronto half marathon, I’m running in the gym every morning and doing long runs every Sunday, last Sunday I ran 16k and I have to do the same this Sunday, my recovery time is getting better and I’m not in as much pain.

Work itself is sweet to the beat, I know what I’m doing and all the staff love me, I have to say I have become pretty attached to them will be very sad to say goodbye to them.

Here’s to “Yeah”, the Stanley cup being flown in with Brad May [Stanley cup is an ice hockey tournament, very big here, at home it would have been like Wayne Rooney flying in with the premiership trophy], “I resent that comment”, playing 1,2,3, to late night break out cabin chats which involved hiding from night watch, hiding behind a tree from night watch, to getting caught by night watch!, Johnny and his very annoying torch, not having to move house in the fall, Bex and Tash watching 24, falling asleep watching the Bourne Ultimatum- on both visits to the cinema, the boys spraying the van with fabreeze, to my first cup of tea, going to bent river for dinner, our day trip to Barrie and to lying in until 7.45am tomorrow!!

Pictures: Mike, myself and Johnny during beechwood banter, then Brad May with the Stanley cup.Would you belief the NHL employ 2 people full time to look after the cup?!

Good times

2007-08-08T17:33:00.000+01:00

Had some great times recently, I went tubing and thought I was going to pull my arms out of their sockets, ran in a 10k race and finished, played some new games, made new friends and stayed up late to many nights. The latest news is that I have changed the dates of my flights and I’m coming home in December instead of September. So home in time for Christmas. I’m working at the Woods in September then I’m heading out west for a while not 100% of the plans yet apart from visiting my old bosses in Vancouver. Then if need be I can come back and work here until I fly home. It’s going to be very hard to leave this place…

Here’s to putting a bin with a dead rotting mouse floating in water in Luke’s cabin, creeping facebook, the ski show, free flurries, "If one of them accidently kissed you. would you be mad?!" driving to Bracebridge for the first time, golf cart creeping, hook, to how much I love all the Northern Ireland guys, falling asleep at the cinema, being shouted at in the cinema, the prank war between sizzle and andy, flurry dates, being the favorite, "You shut your mouth when your talking to me!", and to Lindsay wanting me to change the picture!!

Florida!

2007-07-30T17:42:00.000+01:00

I’m currently sitting in Tampa airport awaiting my flight back to Toronto. Great times were had, great banter and great craic!! We didn’t do much which was just what was required! Lots of time spent at the beach and in the pool! We went Jet skiing which was immense! Esp when Drew tipped us when making a turn, I will not forget those 5 seconds for the rest of my life!! Went to a Japanese restaurant which was interesting and surpassed my expectations greatly!! What also surpassed my expectations was the heat! It was unreal at times its left like the sun was piercing my skin!!

Here’s to… “SHINE A LIGHT!!”, “Kat remember that the bumps are 3 times what you feel back here!”, Kats mental driving of the jet ski, “why because I might get japed?…”, Cinabon, late night catch up chats, playing games in the pool, getting burnt using factor 30 sun tan lotion, sweating it out in the gym and nearly passing out with the heat, outlet malls, going to the wal, winning rummy cub, surprise visit to the cheesecake factory and after a year and a half still having my favorite meal on the menu, playing star wars trumps, Shark week on the discovery channel, to northern Ireland banter, catching up about people at home, discovering that my accent is completely Northern Ireland still apart from one sentence, our chocolate fondu night, always forgetting how to say thank you in Japanese, “good times” and to hoping that I get through Canadian customs with my work permit still in tact.

Question: If they don’t let me back into Canada, would they send me to Northern Ireland or back to Tampa? This could happen a work permit does not guarantee re entry!! There could be a good story a head!

Pictures: Top Kat and I, lower right is us waiting to be seated at the Japanese, then us on the Jet Ski, I am not looking at the camera as Ive just been told I need to drive the Jet ski through a metre wide hole! and any damages would have gone onto my visa card! You also would not of looked at the camera!

Rat trap, wake boarding & tornados!!

2007-07-24T14:42:00.000+01:00

I’m going to Florida on Thursday no need to say that I am very very excited!! I leave tonight for Toronto for 2 nights at Lindsay’s house before flying south. It’s been a good few days I went wake boarding yesterday sadly there is no photographic evidence as for the 6 seconds I lasted each time I go up on the board, My friend couldn’t get a picture taken! But I’ve got the rest of the summer to master it!! I’m just glad I was able to stand up. I have to say I am pretty sore this morning. Was pretty sweet being out on the lake with glorious weather speeding through the water looking at all the massive houses. Still getting on well with all the Northern Irish guys, we were driving back from town the other night discussing how good it will be to have a Muskoka Woods community when we go back home. It’s always nice to have people to talk to when you get home from a great experience that know exactly what and where you are talking about.

Here’s to chipmunk 1- Rachel 2, “I’m not saying… BUT I’m just saying”, Hook, to catching my finger in a rat trap, to being in lock down in a storm with a tornado warning!, creating new tuck shop staff, the ‘What are the chances, ACTUALLY what are the chances- Seriously!!’ stories, face planting in the lake, "drop it and RUN!" Huntsville midnight madness, finishing Smallville, our first dry super Saturday, the order mix up at Eastsides, seeing who could make each other feel the most awkward, to having an E.P today, "I really don't care what they do, they could do anything except punch me in the face and I would not care!" and to watching dumb and dumber far to many times!

I don't like the thought of leaving this place... It's going to be very hard!

Pictures: Top Stu, Jono, Me, Chris & Mike at Midnight madness, then myself & Erika followed by the new tuck staff [We were bored!]

E.P's, road kill & banter

2007-07-15T16:46:00.001+01:00

We have just entered week 3 of summer 07 at Muskoka Woods, and I have to say that the place is as crazy as I had expected it to be. It was very weird going from Rec Staff of 25 people to a staff of 308. Plus a job that is hands on outside all day to running a store. The staff are really good and are great craic and now that we are in week 3 are up and running and I’m not asked a thousand questions every shift! You really do need to see this place to believe it its just go from 7.30am to 11.15pm.

Other things that I’m involved in is running the J2 bible study every Thursday morning and I meet with 3 staff members every week to see how they are doing and help them in any way that I can, as well as helping out with some activates. Leadership also have to go on night watch throughout the summer to make sure kids are not coming out of their cabins at night, this job I love, running around chasing kids on golf carts in the middle of the night and once they are caught making up a suitable punishment for them the only down side to this job is getting up for work the next morning!

There are now approx 30 people here from Northern Ireland we have 2 Exodus teams volunteering; we are slowly starting to take over. It’s great having them about but it’s also nice being the original. Another lot will arrive next Friday night.

It turns out I am on the camp insurance since the start of spring and didn’t realize it until I was suddenly asked to drive to Toronto! After explaining the fact that the furthest I have driven outside of camp was Rosseau [2 mins down the road] it would be better if I didn’t! But I did drive the van into Huntsville with some of the Northern Irish to do our laundry the driving was pretty good and I am confident in doing a spot more driving. On our way home in a time span of approx 30-45 seconds I dodged a cat then a Raccoon, a bat flew into my window and I hit a rabbit! What are the chances I ask?!

Over the past week we have had these amazing thunder and lightening storms with torrential rain. They have been pretty sweet, during one of them we got in Caitlin’s car and drove down to the lake and watched it. The huge forks of lighting were pretty sweet. We also drove home in one 2 nights ago which was pretty freaky esp when it seems like lighting was hitting the road in front of us!

Here’s to Northern Irish banter, creepo on Sara’s bed, crashing a party, signing up to run the Toronto half marathon for Muskoka Woods in Sept [more info to follow], "Why do I even talk?!", Jack Bauer vs Chuck Norris week, “I’m not saying, but I’m just saying…” , health care center banter visits, going bear watching, Dole grapefruit sparklers, 5.7, the family of Raccoons, our daily vitamin c intake, SUPER SATURDAY!!! [Super Saturday is the day the kids go and arrive there is always a great buzz about the place, we have themes, huge barbeques, stacks of fresh pineapple and strawberry’s and baked goods and stalls – good times], to jacking a golf cart key, party of five, going out on the speed boats, to long awkward hugs!, getting up early, Hazelwood bant, E.P’s [E.P is an emergency procedure, if I kid does not turn up for skills after 20 mins air horns are sounded and all 308 run and search an area of camp they are assigned to look for the missing guest. So within a certain time the entire camp will be searched include the lake. If we don’t find the guest within a certain time frame we move into stage 2 and then 3 which involves people getting on scuba gear and diving in the lake.] Tom hating E.P’s because he has to wade through the marsh!!, Lindsay coming to visit, and to going to Florida in 10 days!!

Pictures: Top the view of the lake from golf, the rest are of 'Muskoka Woods Trading Company' where I work- yeah I am in charge!

Super Saturday

2007-06-30T17:28:00.000+01:00

Today for the past 8 years I have gone to Ukriane, but today I am experiencing my first Super Saturday at Muskoka Woods. One word- Bedlum!!

I will miss Ukraine this year.

More N. Irish, the giant bruise on my arm & 16298

2007-06-25T23:37:00.000+01:00

Its all systems go here at the woods, 300 new staff arrived on Friday. It hit that for all these new people coming it is the start of something new but for me and a few others it’s the beginning of the end as I start my forth and final season at the woods! I have to say it made me pretty sad. Among the new staff are a few Northern Irish- great to hear the accent again, chat and of course work out people we all know, great banter. Its sweet to have been here all year, to know all the full time staff and to go into the summer with fellow O Rec staff, the full time staff are more lenient, than they are with just summer staff, and its good to know people in a huge crowd like this and to be in the know as to how things run.

As I’ve said before I’m running the shop this summer, I met the 12 staff on Saturday that I will be working with. We started training with a few team building games, then got stuck into some real work getting the shop ready. We have already painted the shop and priced a lot of the clothes etc but still a lot to do before the first ‘Super Saturday’.

I moved cabins and am now living in Hazelwood which is pretty much at the opposite side of camp to where I was living before. I have a double room with my friend Lauren which is pretty good as all the other rooms have 4, 6 or 8 people in them!

Here’s to the dumb and dumber finger/arm point, Tom getting his lip pierced, Bex dying her hair black and pink, my roller blade/ mountain bike exploits with Lindsay and co in the wee hours of the morning, to staff number 16298, my eye constantly twitching, “Oh now he IS nice!”, Spring summery- “The BA craic was 90, oh no she didn’t, Just kidd’n.. eeennndddd scene!”, getting up at 5.30am every morning, crashing the golf cart into the side of Hazelwood [my house] and wreaking my arm,My briuse is the slightly smaller than the span of my hand!, My tuck cart is not as nipping or having a tight stering to what I was used to with the O Rec cart!], Bex asking me to be her one to one this summer and to going to Florida in a month!!

Pictures: Just for a wee bit of fun and to sizzle up the blog. Top we have myself and my good friends Kariss, Ponchie and Lauren. Bottom is Myself and Lauren.

The end

2007-06-16T03:07:00.000+01:00

Today marks the final day of Outdoor rec. It’s a very sad day. I worked out that since I arrived in September I personally have approximately worked with 71 schools and out of those 71 schools I have worked with 923 kids, its weird to think that at one point I knew all their names. Not to mention weekend groups. I will really miss it, I grew to really love my job and be good at it. Next week I start as the ‘Muskoka Woods trading company’ Supervisor!!

I will miss… Our Friday afternoon meeting, giving the climbing wall talk, surprising myself by impressing kids with my archery and golf skills! The smell of bug spray in the morning, getting in early to get the good radios, playing empire, organising the closing shifts, talking to teachers, my rec staff friends that are not staying for the summer, sitting in Ferndale, sneaking into the office and sweet talking Cathy into letting me stay, "Can you go to 2 please?!" all the radio banter, Wednesday – the bus transfer day, the craic and banter with my kids, easy truck and golf cart access, playing touch rugby, my specialist introductions, the good chat times in Braden & Yetundes office, the dishes banter, mountain biking, freaking my kids out by telling them what to do if they see a bear, playing camouflage, writing messages on the white board, staff dance parties after the kids go to bed, the freedom to use all the activites whenever we want, frequent eye rolling, Sunday night pizza and Braden & Yetunde.

I will not miss… Instructing inline skating, low ropes and waiting for meal times

I am off for a few days visiting Lindsay, then back to train 12 new staff and get ready for the summer bedlam!! Let the good times roll…

Here’s to my last teacher having turrets, Tom and I convincing our groups that we were twins & wanting to do my challenge again!

Picture: Muskoka Woods Spring Crew 2007.

Challenge

2007-06-15T04:50:00.000+01:00

Here's to completing a summer challenge in spring. There is only one person in the world that knows the challenge and I know as they read this they will be a) a little suprised at how quick the challenge was completed b) laughing very hard, and c) will want to hear the whole story!! Good times, great craic and its all good!!

Rec staff til I die!

2007-06-09T20:43:00.000+01:00

The craic has continued to be 90 here at the woods! I told my summer boss that I was only going to be rec staff until my outdoor rec ends on 17th then I will join leadership. She was ok with it when I explained my reasons. One of which being a was going to leave 3 leadership positions on rec staff to join “Leadership” and I don’t think that walking out on rec leadership is very good leadership in itself!! It’s all good now. No pressure to be one or the other I can be and do what I love. My boss is one of my favourite people here Yetunde is leaving next week when rec ends so we headed into town for dinner last night was great craic I will miss her. Hopefully going to go see her out west on my travels after the summer.
We pretty much have destroyed the golf cart we used for our rally sessions. Driving it down the tubing hill didn’t help. It was going to give up the ghost soon anyway.

Here's to “That’s sick… not like sick sick… But sick!!, racoon poo in the staff room, accidentally killing a chipmunk by standing on it! I’m now called the chipinator!, wreaking the sterling on the golf cart, driving the golf cart down the tubing hill, running into the forest thinking we had been caught making a monster fire, “Rachel you told us about the 4 T’s and you only follow 3 of them!!”, throwing everyone in the pool at Kandices leaving party, accidentally breaking the tv with the rugby via stephs head!, The return of oatmeal raisin cookies, Big Ronada, “Sorry I’m late I couldn’t find my radio”… “That’s what you said last time!!”, making a massive fire up at Witmock, Tom and Michelle hitch hiking into Huntsville and to the last week of rec staff! :-(

Pictures: Top on the golf cart with Lauren, Katie & Kandice, Bottom piture: me, Katie & Lauren with the bear!

More pictures on my bebo.

Bang, Kayaking & laughter

2007-06-06T03:46:00.001+01:00

We are well through Spring here with only 2 more weeks until Summer officially starts. I have to say the past week or 2 have been SO much fun. We went for a kayaking adventure on Friday night out to the light house and back along by the cliff and shore line some very beautiful houses and scenery. Yetunde and I were in the same Kayak I think we did more laughing than paddling! We then went jumping off the docks, jumping of the docks seems to be the activity to end all other activates we do. So swimming gear is always kept at hand. Lake Rosseau is so nice clean water and doesn’t smell which is always a good thing! I had a good birthday weekend with Lindsay we went to a car rally. Which consisted of 6 cars in an area the size of a tennis courts bashing into each other until only one car is still going! A bit like real life dodgem cars.

Last night we had a fire… check out the video, it takes a while to get going so bear with it:

One thing that is pretty poor at the minute, leadership arrived on Sunday for 3 weeks training. I am officially leadership and I am also officially outdoor rec, so I’m feeling the pressure to do both. What do I want to do? - Outdoor rec, unfortunately no one seems to care and everyone wants me to do both. So I am rebelling! OUTDOOR REC to the bitter end!

Here’s to: “Where is Spencer?!”, The Mexicans trip to Dairy Queen [6 of us squeesed in the back of the van!], the red bull party, “What kind of doorbell do you have at home?!”, Lindsay painting my toenails when I fell asleep during a movie, “Situation!”, full contact rugby in the rain, 4 people on a golf cart rallying around b3/golf, Amanda picking flowers out of the hanging basket, the 22 insect bites on my neck, Tom’s surprise midnight birthday dance party, The Jurassic park golf cart experience, “How do you like those apples?!”, Bratunde, jumping of the tower into the lake, The Outdoor recers, the dodge ball tournament, "did that instructer just ask you for crack?" to Matt Preace leaving, and to Justin’s custom.

Ukrainians, black fly's & the giant swing

2007-05-23T01:19:00.000+01:00

The past few weeks have been pretty busy and I have worked way too much, what with taking extra shifts at the weekends and helping to train staff. I was starting to feel burnt out as I had not had a weekend, or day off in about a month and a half! All my own fault!We are well into the Spring season here and it has been bedlam at times! Last week had 12 schools staying 6 at a time. Wednesday was mental trying to welcome and send off busses at the same time! Stressful but good fun. One of the schools last week was Ukrainian so I broke out my mad Ukrainian language skills and dazzled a few teachers! They had a campfire one night with Ukrainian dramas etc it brought back some memories! Spring is pretty sweet here, shorts and t-shirt weather its great! It is a long weekend here called May Two Four, and today is Victoria day. All the staff are off. On Saturday we took a trip down to Toronto which was good craic, yesterday on the way back up the road we stopped off at Matt’s grandparents house for lunch they are from Macedonia and made us some traditional food some very like what I’ve had in Ukraine and Moldova so more good memories there. I’ve set myself a few challenges before the summer some physical and some are more over coming my fears. We have so many great facilities here namely the climbing wall. Before the past week or 2 I’d only managed to get up one wall. Now I have completed 6 out of 10 walls with my goal being 8 of 10. Some of the walls have ledges, some climb up at angle etc so I’m pretty pleased with myself thus far! Also on the list was to do the giant swing. The Giant swing is a 70 foot pole that you are pulled up and once you release a leaver you swing down after a drop for 3-5 seconds!

Last night we all were bored and someone suggested doing the Giant swing, so at midnight we decided to go for it!! I did it twice was pretty sweet being pulled up into the night towards the stars… then pretty terrifying plummeting into the darkness. Doing it in the middle of the night made it all the more exciting!! Did a spot of cycling this morning into Rosseau for lunch at Cross Roads [for all those who have been here!] only to find it was closed so we threw my bike in the back of the van and off to Jimmy Hats [Once again if you’ve been here you’ll know!] I left early and started to cycle back was so nice the sun was beaming, cycling past lakes, rivers, cliffs, beaver dams not to mention chased by a few dogs!! This afternoon we played about the vertical play ground behind the zip line which was cool we belay ourselves and climb about 60 feet in the air- pretty mad.

Here’s to going to the gym at 6am everyday, getting stung by a Hornet twice within a few seconds!, “Tough break”, the gate barrier dropping on my arm, great friends, “Gong show” Playing tag rugby every week, sneaking into the hot tub, Matt riding on the back of the van, Introducing Empire to Muskoka Woods and it being played all the time, going for swimming adventures in the lake, being Tom's conscience, going to see Lindsay for my birthday and missing the busiest weekend of the Spring, Amanda hug and kiss, hard core golf cart driving, a kid thinking that Ireland was the capitol of Scotland, djing some dances, playing capture the flag, scoring the winning goal in football, “Aaawwkard!”, buying a nalgene [I feel very Canadian now!], “Rachel you should go back to Auckland”, Teach jew 101 and to the many man black fly’s!

A wee joke...
There was a Russian, and American and an Irishman in a pub. The Russian said, "My nation is the best on earth because we were the first into space!" The American said, "Oh, that's nothing, my country was the first to the moon!" The Irishman said, "That's nothing compared to what my country will do. We'll be the first to land on the sun! The other two said, "Don't be silly, you'll burn up before you even get there!" "No," the Irishman said. "We'll go at night!"

Pictures: Top right is Lauren and I on the way to Toronto squeezed into the back of Stephens car, left is the 2 Matts by the lake, bottom right is us playing on the vertical climbing tower and bottom left is us out for a nice Sunday afternoon stroll.

I have tried to make my bebo page accessable for the public. So if you would like to see more pictures of my time Canada. Check it out. Scroll down and they are on the right hand side- Enjoy. One will keep you updated of new pictures on bebo. There is about 4 albums so far of Canada to keep you all busy and distracted from work!!

Yeah thats right...

2007-05-13T03:47:00.000+01:00

The Walmart Challenge

2007-04-27T01:48:00.000+01:00

Challenge: To wear 2 items of clothes and travel around Walmart not using my feet!

Clothes selected: A 3 XL Night dress and a red summer hat.

Transport: A Trolly.

Challenge complete!!!

Spring

2007-04-23T21:50:00.000+01:00

All is well and life is good at Muskoka Woods. Winter is over, spring is here and the sun is out! We got about 10 new staff which I was able to help train which was pretty good. Lindsay, Mike and Patrick left which was very sad.
Thankfully I don’t have to do ropes training again so I’m off for 3 days.

Here’s to missing Lindsay, getting sun burnt, Maneater, almost winning bump, to Tom being to scared to fly back to Toronto from Philadelphia, taking a 17 hour bus journey instead!, playing touch rugby, new foreigners for the Canadians to make fun of and our road trip to Barrie.

Picture: Lindsay and I before she left.

Summer plans

2007-04-14T23:28:00.000+01:00

Well I thought it was about time I brought you all up to date with my future plans. I have decided to stay until the end of the summer. I signed a spring contract this week and have been offered a leadership position for the summer in form of supervising the store on camp [The Woods even has its own clothing line!]. Weighing up the pros and cons I know its best for me to stay longer. My role in the Spring doesn’t change too much from what I’m doing now, however The woods may send me on a course to become a canoe instructor which would be pretty cool so that would be an added extra to my job and ill still lead a closing team same as winter but the team will be bigger.
In the summer myself and another girl will be managing the shop. I will look after 8-10 employees, over see the daily running of the store and I’ve been asked to organise the rotas. If I came home at the start of summer I would probably get a shop job as a stop gap so staying here and getting managerial experience is definitely the way to go. Also I’ve been told the store is the place to be in the summer! I’m also going to be involved in organising bible studies, church services and one on ones with the rest of the 300 summer staff. I really see being here as an experience builder and character development. Reflecting on the past 7.5 months I’ve spent here, I’ve realised how much I have learnt and experienced- I’ve lead a lot of diverse groups of people and kids, developed my teaching and instructing skills, dealt with conflicts, working in an office as well as getting to use the climbing wall, zip line, skate park whenever I want and learning to ski!! I think the hardest part of my decision was that if I stay I would not be able to go to Ukraine this summer it will be very weird as I have gone for the past 8 summers! But change is good and it doesn’t mean ill never go back. Plus I love my bosses, I love that I get on so well with my them, they are definitely 2 of my favourite people here!

Here’s to playing basketball, writing stories about each other on the whiteboard, moving house on Sunday, green t-shirts, “Just kidding!”, Steph duct taping the bathroom door shut!, making cookies and putting in a 1.5 cup of salt instead of sugar including Bradens reaction, “Good choice of words”, the taking of our winter staff photo, “I hope they had a photocopier in those days it would suck if you had to write those all out by hand…” “Eh you do realise that the printing press was invented in the 1400’s?!”, Activia pear yogart, going round all the summer cabins acquiring stuff for our room in Spring [we even found a microwave!!!], new spring staff arriving next week, Helen Keller, the sound of ice cracking, the surprise that Lindsay left for Steph, “gunshot wedding!” to buying an all in one bug net, Yetunde letting me use her flat for the weekend, walking into Rosseau with Tom, Bodger and badger, and to climbing the CN Tower for the world wildlife foundation at the end of April.

The pictures our of the winter staff, the second one makes me laugh its just so random! No one was ready for the picture at all, expect Lindsay who is sitting perfectly with the ESBMLM Thropy.

The Patrol, China town & back to ropes.

2007-04-06T21:10:00.000+01:00

I spent last weekend in Toronto. We left early on Thursday morning got to Lindsay’s house after a few detours about 3.30 and went shopping in Bolton, watched a few movies that night [ Children of men, Little Miss Sunshine & Stranger than fiction ] all worth a watch. Friday night we were made to go to this horrendous Korean karaoke place by Lindsay’s brother. It was so wacky and loud that I ended up wondering around China town for an hour. Saturday we went into Toronto again and went to an outdoors shop to equip ourselves for the spring [ rain trousers and a bug suit for me! ] We had dinner in the nicest restaurant its called Rich tree. When you arrive you’re given a swipe card and you go around lots of dinner stations and order the food you want and pay at the end the total on your card. The food was so good great change from camp food. Then off to the Snow Patrol concert which was amazing! Not much else to say apart from it was nice to hear the Northern Ireland accent again. It was funny the girl next to me said “You talk like the singer!” Sunday we spent the day about the house and then came back up the road to camp. This week at work was pretty good think I had the best group of kids I’ve had to date even wish they could have stayed longer. Because the snow has melted we're back to doing otdoor ropes not as much fun as skiing and tubing! Since I left last weekend I decided to stay here for Easter it’s been very relaxing, we finished at lunch time on Thursday. Had dinner out with my bosses and tonight Tom and I are being taken out for dinner by the head chef then having an Indianan Jones night. Have set up a projector in the staff lounge and we will all have a sofa each! It’s nice to kinda have the place to yourself- There are only 4 of us on site at the minute.

Here’s to having the house to myself, to playing basketball, to acquiring stuff!, having to move house for the Spring, “eh do you know what that means?”, the snow melting, giving up fizzy drinks, the skunks moving from under our house to under the arts and crafts room, “you do realise you cant lie!”, Angelo putting a waist harness on as a chest harness!, that even though Ive been here for nearly 7 months I still try to get in to vehicles at the wrong side doesnt matter if Im the passenger or the driver, Video taping Tom after he got his wisdom teeth out and to putting a ten pound weight in Lindsay’s back pack

Adventure hikes, skucks & Cool Aid

2007-03-24T14:59:00.000Z

We have recently discovered that there are skunks under our house!! Our noses made the discovery on Thursday and maintenance confirmed it on Friday by finding burrows they have dug underneath our back porch! It’s not really a smell you could imagine. At first I didn’t think it smelt as bad as I thought it would. Lindsay then informed me that this was very mild and if I was sprayed it would be 1000 times worse and Id smell like it for weeks! I now take the long way up to the house and freeze upon and movement or noise as I approach the house. Maintenance are going to remove it/them early next week. Until then I will continue to have painful fear of stumbling across one and getting sprayed! Last night I saw my first Racoon, Will start to see a lot more wildlife as they come out of hibernation. On my to see list is a bear and a moose. Apparently if you go over to the dump in the evenings you can see lots of bears. We will be going over in the truck, I don’t think my insurance will cover me being mauled by a grizzly bear!

Other news I’m off from Thursday to Monday going to Lindsay’s house for the weekend and going to see Snow Patrol in Toronto. On the way we’re stopping in Barrie for Tom to get a tooth pulled at the dentist. This could be very good entertainment once he comes round as he’s paying $300 to get knocked out for the procedure.

Went for a walk last Sunday afternoon across the road and got lost in the forest. We ended up walking around in knee deep snow, jumping rivers and climbing up rock faces, I was not particularly worried until I noticed huge animal prints which at first I thought was a bear then my friend kindly informed me that they were cougar prints and that would be worse that stumbling across a bear. We hot tailed it out of there and thankfully found the highway and followed it back to camp. It would have been a better time had I not been wearing jeans and trainers. I was expecting a nice leisurely stick to the path work not a getting lost adventure hike! Never a dull moment.

Here’s to accidentally setting off the fire alarm at 12.30am after lighting an indoor sparkler Emma bought me for Christmas, Lindsay and I thought it was very funny the rest of the house not so much!, having the genius idea of picking pineapple chucks and peach slices out of the fruit bowl for breakfast smoothies- good money saver right there!, the snow melting and not fearing falling walking on the icy paths, giving Matt a Mohawk, to the day of rain which reminded me of home, pimping out our common room, "Brenda should NEVER wear this!!"... "eh thats mine Rachel!!"... "yes and thats why Brenda should never wear it!", recieving shamrocks for St Patrick's day, cycling along to prison break, being woken up in the middle of the night by huge chucks of ice, that slide off our roof on to the porch roof and on to the ground, “I want to teach Cool Aid 101”, discovering Dallas Green, Mikes Mexican wrestling mask, great chat times, and to going to Florida!

Pictures: The top one is clearly a skunk, I like to only use pictures I myself have taken but theres no chance Ill be getting close enough to a skunk to take a picture!, the next 2 have really just been added because I think blogs look better with pictures. We have the bear that is outside the office window, then a picture of my desk where I am currently working.

Toronto, clear roads & little

2007-03-03T14:41:00.000Z

I got to spend a few days in Toronto last weekend was nice to get a break and do things like eat in a fancy restaurant and go to the cinema. After a considerable time in the underground, we eventually got downtown Toronto via are very dodgy hostel which we decided not to stay in, thankfully we were able to stay with a friend. We had dinner in this amazing place called 'rich tree' when you arrive, your given a swipe card and can go to lots of different stations and get what you want, it was such nice food. After this in the freezingness of night we went ice skating [with no skates], Its now 1am when someone decides to go bowling so off to the 24hour bowling alley, where we met William the desk guy- we kept him well entertained on his night shift with shoes flying down the lanes, Whitney dedicating songs to him and many funny names on the score board. We left after 3am and were in bed by 4am. Slept in on Saturday morning and then went into Toronto to watch Ireland stuff England in the 6 nations rugby!! [again with my good friend Emma] We then decided it would be a great idea to walk up the CN Tower for free rather than pay for the lift, sadly/thankfully they wouldn't let us. Off to the Eaton centre for shopping and a hair cut which turned out to be from a Chinese woman that didn't speak very good English! It was a very nerve racking situation she kept trying to talk to me all I wanted her to concentrate on was my hair, not trying to pronounce skiing properly!! Our friends were going to a couple of party's so Tom and I went to the cinema and met up with them after and had to go to the tail end of a party which I fell asleep at which past the time nicely. In bed by 3am. Up on Sunday morning to met our ride at Yorkdale mall then back up the road to the woods just in time for our Oscars party!

Enough about the weekend... thankfully the temperature has risen this week so much so that I was able to ski and snow shoe in a t-shirt! Although it has dropped slightly again and is snowing which is a good thing as our tube hill is a death trap. When I had a group this week they were going over 100 feet further at the bottom of the big hill and hitting the shed and about 30 feet further on the small hill and sliding into a river! When the kid hit the river I don't think Ive ever ran as fast in my life thankfully is was just soaked could have been so much worse needless to say I shut down tubing. More snow will make it safer. Its also nice to be able to see the roads, maintenance have started to scrap huge chucks of ice/snow from the roads and paths.
I received 10/10 on my room this week I have definitely set a standard!

Here's to "Because your NOT mad?", Tom's 80's CD, finally trying to roller blade, "Your a liar and that's no lie!!" to freshly made bagels, Lindsay hiding Stephs mug, being asked by a kid in my group if I can say the word 'little' because I always say wee!, "Could you explain please what exactly was funny about that?!", to Aaron putting glitter in Mikes hair, missing Alias, blue skies, Tom being sick after playing the salt game with Braden, and to Heif.

Pictures: Top is myself, Tom, Melissa, Colin and Whitney. Next is the CN Tower, a picture we had to wait in the freezing cold for Tom to take, Followed by well.. Ireland beating England, Lsat we have us all with William the desk guy.

Awards, enjoyable hosting & pushing cars

2007-02-17T14:14:00.000Z

This week was a lot better than last week although the temperature has not changed. I was specialising the first half of the week and was hosting with my good friend Lindsay the second half. It is so good to host a group of kids with someone else especially when you get on with them so well. The kids were great craic, loved everything and loved Lindsay and I which is always a bonus. I have not a group that has been so obsessed with my accent. They only wanted me to explain activates if Lindsay did it they would wait until she had finished and then asked me to do it again and took every opportunity to copy my accent. Having a good host group really helps your attitude to things and your enthusiasm, bad groups just suck the life out of you.
Other news that my mum reading this will drop off her seat at... Recently due to the boys cabin being disgustingly dirty. Our bosses have started to do cabin checks every Thursday night with competition as the driving force behind it. Last week was boys vs the girls [the girls clearly won] This week it was the cleanest room. I received 1st prize!! I won because my room was tidiest but also because it had the most character with my pictures, verses, cards etc so I won a Muskoka Woods t-shirt. Then as voted by my fello workers I won the ESBMLM award [Everyone should be more like me] This will be the second time with my name on the trophy. Heading down to T dot [Toronto] this weekend for some craic with Tom to visit some friends. Going to try and find the Ireland- England match somewhere get some friendly rivalry going [Tom is English].

Here's to finally getting our staff coats, Tom and I pushing Candice's car into Walmart with one glove each, Lindsay and I hiding a broken roller skate and 2 dirty socks in Toms backpack and him carrying it about for 3 days!, "I'll do it for a dollar", thinking that one of the kids had seriously injured themselves on the tubing hill, "Yeah tobogganing accidents are on the top 10 death list!" to good chat times out to dinner with Lindsay, Yetunde and Kandice, once again knocking down a giant icicle from outside my window with the end of a vacuum cleaner! [Picture is of it reforming after 3 days. The one I knocked down was an other foot and a lot thicker] and to winning the biggest game of Empire to date.

Not alot really

2007-02-11T00:58:00.000Z

Not too much to report but felt it was about time I updated. It's still snowing like mad, The Canadians love it but the 3 foreigners are not the biggest fans. This week I had the worst hosting group to date they were in all week and did nothing but complain about the activities and all they wanted to do was sit and chat. It was a pretty draining week always trying to get them to do stuff and coming up with new ideas to motivate them. Next week I'm getting a break as ill be the skiing and snow shoeing specialist!! That sounds like I'm an expert at skiing but in fact I'm not I've just got to the point when I don't fall over anymore.

We had a bit of a Superbowl party last Sunday which was good craic. The adverts thought were a lot better than the actual game.

Oh yeah back to the snow- So not only is there a danger of frost bite but also of snow blindness! I now have to wear goggles as much as possible as I'm getting head aches from always squinting my eyes and apart from head aches if I don't wear goggles it takes my eyes ages to adjust when I go indoors because the snow is so bright.

Here's to Tom getting a footballers hair cut, the two Matt's nearly knocking over the buffet, getting Alias back, "I don't know what that means" receiving a free pair of snow boots, blueberry muffins, Gerry dancing to how bizzare on a ramp at B3 and to wacthing Ireland play France with Emma tomorrow.

Playing in the snow

2007-02-03T22:36:00.000Z

I've been here for over a month but today was the first day that I played in the snow rather than just working in it. I was in charge of snow shoeing today but I didnt have to teach today just hand out the snow shoes so in between groups I made a fort and snow angels. Its been snowing pretty steady the past few days and thats to continue until at least tuesday. At some points today I was walking in snow that was up to my waist.

Other good news came from my good friend Gregory who informed me that if I pay a small fee of $9.99 I can watch the Wales v Ireland game tomorrow live- I am very happy.

Here's to building my first snow fort, Lindsays barney hands, "This would make a great reality tv show we could call it H- Wood!!", sleeping for a straight 14 hours, to how good 24 season 6 is, Lindsay [who doesnt know how to use a microwave] defrosting cookies by using the pre set popcorn botton, to laughing way to much at a teacher during tubing this week, Ray's amazing stir fry, to Tom losing his phone in the snow, making an illegal tubing run, and to watching Alias.

Pictures: Top is me in my fort, below it is kids skiiing and snow shoeing and over to the right is me atempting a snow angel but burrying myself as the snow is was deep and fluffy!!

6 Nations disappointment

2007-02-03T00:07:00.000Z

Tomorrow sees the start of the 2007 rugby six nations and I have been on the internet for the past hour trying to find a Canadian channel that will be showing it but to no avail. BBC Sport website has live streaming but only to UK broadband users! And 5 Live radio is covering the football instead of the Ireland match on Sunday. Guess i'm stuck with the text updates on the BBC website.

Walking on water

2007-01-29T16:09:00.000Z

On Monday mornings when no kids are here we are given work projects which are to last all morning so we always take our time. Tom and I were given the quickest jobs so a lot of time wasting was done including... We had to walk down and check that the boat house was clean. As we approach the lake we see that someone had walked over the frozen lake. So we decided it might be a good idea to follow the footprints and walk across the lake to the boat house. I was very carefully walking on the original footprints were as Tom decided to be slightly more adventurous and walked out towards the middle of the lake were all of a sudden there was a huge sound of ice cracking and tom running back towards me. Deciding it was better to keep going we stuck to the current prints very close to the shore. The thing was if Tom had of gone through the ice I dont know what I could of done about it and I was laughing very hard at his reaction!

Here's to taking my bed apart, a very good late night chat, waist deep snow, to hosting in pairs this week and to Kandance getting an electric shock changing a light bulb!

Picture: Tom and I freezing after Steph making us come down to take pictures of the lake, which was pointless because as you can see its clearly night time!

Minus 35

2007-01-28T20:28:00.000Z

Take a look of this picture; doesn’t it look nice and sunny? Wrong the temperature is in fact -35!! I have never been as cold in all my life! In such weather you have to cover every part of your body because your skin with over 5 minutes of exposure to the cold can start to get mild frost bite. I thought this was a bit of an exaggeration until the other day when I was instructing tubing I was holding the tubes at the top of the slope when my glove got caught and went sliding down the hill with the kid. I stayed up there for another few minutes by the time I got down to get my glove my fingers were sore with cold and after they dried out were still sore to touch- the very very beginning of frost bite. For sure I will never take my gloves off again! You at times can not tell which staff is who outside as we’re all covered up even our faces.
Have also done a bit more skiing which is pretty comical especially when kids ask such questions as how do you ski? How do you stop and how do you turn? All things that I have not mastered yet! Only thing I know how to do correctly is getting up after I fall!
I was in Toronto yesterday for my room mates wedding it was a lovely day and also now I have my own room until at least Spring so its pretty good.

Here’s to “Lindsay why have you got all the ethnics in your group?”, the ability to kiss your knees, Team Britannia, “I have never seen a person with an eye patch in real life” to being buried in snow, to people buying other peoples boots, getting a lot of air on the tube run, having to layer and de layer, the co ops leaving, microwaving cookies and not being able to walk without sliding.

24 Season 6! [No spoilers!]

2007-01-15T21:17:00.000Z

On a more exciting note than the snow...
24 SEASON 6 HAS STARTED!!

The new season kicked off with a 2 hour premiere on Sunday night and 2 hours tonight! Was very very good not as intense as the start of season 5 but it still kept me on the edge of my seat. The Trailors for the next episode look like they are going to pull something amazing out of the bag! As I am a true fan, and the best way to watch 24 is not having any knowledge of whats about to come all I can say to my fellow 24 fans is- its going to be insane!!

It snowed

2007-01-15T21:06:00.000Z

It started to snow yesterday... I thought this was the best picture to show you its progress so far. It stopped for a while but now has recommenced.

Oh… funny story- You know I try to go to the gym everyday well on Sunday afternoon/evening it was reported that both the treadmills were not working. By this morning they were still not working. You can imagine that people (including myself) were not happy as there was a lot more waiting about for machines etc. Later this afternoon Lindsay and I are watching a DVD when Steph comes in and asks if we knew why anyone would turn the breaker/fuse off in the music hall!? My mind suddenly went back to Sunday afternoon and started to laugh… Tom and I were clearing up the music hall from the weekend groups. The strobe lights and disco ball were still on. I flicked a few switches before Tom came and told me how to turn them off. Turns out I turned the breaker off for one side of the Music hall without realising it! I have taken a lot of abuse and I’m sure ill continue too.

Here’s to a school cancelling and us getting 2.5 days off work!, to getting 24 taped every week, finding a good church and to apple crisp.

The mild weather continues

2007-01-13T19:05:00.000Z

So… It’s been a while I know. After spending a week at Lindsay’s in Bolton just outside Toronto I’m back at the woods. This week has been a staff training week. We were to learn how to ski, cross country ski, snow shoe and tubing. But due to the mild weather there has been a lack of snow so it’s not been too successful. It did snow a wee bit but apparently not the right kind of snow. We did get to cross country ski and snow shoe now if you are ever asked to go snow shoeing kindly decline as it is not fun!! Although it is a good work out. Cross country skiing will be more fun on slipper packed snow, this week it was like walking with ski’s on! The snow we did have has melted so we are back to running our fall activities like the zip line etc until we get ‘proper’ snow. I have to say I’m very thankful for my snow trousers for all the hours this week I’ve been out in the snow I’ve been very warm.
All the staff have been spilt into 4 teams this season to work our nights & weekends I’ve been asked to lead one of these teams which is cool and great to be given some more responsibility. We were all given bandanas for the colours of our teams and team building challenges so there has been a lot of fun banter and competition amongst the teams- “Go team blue!”
My accommodation has remained the same, my roommate is getting married at the end of the month so its pretty sweet that I get my own room. Plus been invited to her wedding so I get a wee weekend in Toronto. Been trying to continue my routine of going to the gym every morning before work which has gone well apart from one morning. A lot of the staff have come back wanting to get fit. I arrive into the gym on Monday morning to find 6 people thankfully by Thursday it died down to 3. Thought for awhile I was going to have to get up even earlier!

My friend Tom is back from England some of the regular readers will remember that he was pretty much deported when he forgot to extend his work permit on time. It’s nice to have someone else around for people to make fun of their accent and for me to have someone that understands what a bin is, or who knows that when I ask for chips that I actually mean fries and to have someone else who is not used to surviving in freezing weather.

Here’s to scoring a free globe, playing love your neighbour in the snow, to catching 6 mice, finding out that there are skunks under our house!, finally finding extreme uno and getting people addicted to it! And to playing snow volley ball.

The picture is of my current location in the Muskoka Woods shop (It’s not been very busy hence the update!) Put on purely because I feel that blogs with pictures are better. Also the fact that I know that Emma will nearly be throwing up in jealously at the sight of any pciture of Muskoka Woods!

Back in the land of Walmart, free re fills & being the foreigner

2007-01-05T16:38:00.000Z

For those of you that don’t know I made the decision and am back in Canada. So far ill be here until Easter with the option of staying until end of September when my work permit expires. So ill see you all sometime between now and 30th September.
I had a fantastic 2.5 weeks at home and really was torn about coming back here or not really is true what they say there’s no place like home! I’m in Toronto until Sunday and then head back up to the woods on Sunday to start work on Monday. Starting work maybe a problem as we are to be trained on all the winter sports skiing and snow boarding etc but Canada is having it’s mildest winter in 18 years and there is no snow in fact yesterday was like a Northern Ireland summers day! So it maybe a while before I attempt skiing!

Here’s to spending my first new years eve away from home, fully appreciating home and church, spin classes, to not returning home with a Canadian twang, major Jet Lag, to my central locking breaking and having to crawl through the boot of my car on Ballynahinch main street to get in!, playing extreme uno, to unchanged friendships, walking in the rain, to my uncle cutting his finger slicing the turkey and to there being no Snow!

It was drawn to my attention when I was home that a lot more people read this than I thought… to you all do leave comments and let me know who is being entertained by my antics!
and to fellow bloggers- has anyone moved onto the new blogger with google? whats the craic with it?

More Blog tagging:

2006-12-26T22:40:00.000Z

Due to pressure from Emma Duncan who tagged me here you go 5 things you may or may not know about me...

1. When I was a wee kid I had to have my shoe laces pulled so tight that it would either cut the circulation off to my feet or leave lace marks on my feet. Both feet also had to be of equal tightness. Many shoe laces were snapped trying to accomplish this, we also discovered that velcro didnt help.

2. I at a very young age I refused to wear any kind of pink, lacy or dress like clothes or played with any form of dolls. I did ask for a wheel barrow for my third birthday so I could follow dad about the garden.

3. Once at North Rugby club [now Belfast Harlequins] I went to visit Santa and received a handbag and beaded necklace and bracelet, I wasn’t pleased with this even more so when my brother appeared out with a racing car. I balled my eyes out until my dad went in and asked if they would change my girl present to a boy one!

4. My brother and I used to have a radio station called Bluebell FM. In which my brother used to walk through the fields around our house with a bit of metal for a microphone. Called bluebell fm due to a tunnel full of trees and bluebells.

5. When my brother and I were wee and my younger twin cousins used to come and stay some weekends we used to take a twin each and “train” them, we were their coaches and make them fight each other, and got cross when they got didn’t comply with the game or got upset if they were losing and my brother and I used to fight over who got which twin.

I tag Dan Weekes and Paul Coles.

Home

2006-12-24T14:56:00.000Z

I have been home now for a week and a half and I have to say I did love Canada but didn’t realise how much I love/missed home. Its hard to beat a good home cooked Sunday lunch or having the freedom to jump in your car and go somewhere at the drop of a hat or go to church where you know people, or have a shower with water pressure or to sleep in your own bed or have a washing machine in your house, or not having to pay tax on everything you buy or friends that you’ve known for years or to not have to wrap up in 5 layers before you leave the house so you don’t freeze to death and you certainly can not beat the Northern Irish banter even with a big stick!!

So… to stay in Northern Ireland or return to Canada for a while longer that is the question?!

Scrubing, Ladies night & nearing the end

2006-12-11T23:08:00.000Z

Work finished 2 weeks ago and we spent a few days earning extra cash cleaning the indoor climbing wall which meant taking down all the holds, scrubing them clean them and putting up new routes. Was good craic its not often we all get to work together at one project we’re usually spilt up into 2 or 3. We set up a projector and screen and had a Harry Potter marathon [not my choice of movies don’t see what the fuss is]. While we were working on the climbing wall it started to snow and continued to snow until at times we had knee deep snow! You may think this sounds great and in part it is when it looks like bits of glitter are falling and the ground is all sparkles and the silence and peacefulness it seems to create but then comes slipping and sliding everywhere, pushing cars out and getting huge chucks of snow thrown at you not to mention the bitter coldness of it all. We had our staff retreat last week it was good craic and we got lots of free stuff. The first night we had a fancy formal so everyone had to dress up in silly outfits and we had an awards ceremony. I won an award called ‘Learn’ which was pretty surprising as I’ve been at the woods 3 months. In short the award is for putting into action skills, abilities that I’ve learned at the Woods and things that the Woods can benefit from. With the award came a $50 meal voucher which has already come in handy. Everyone also won ‘best awards’ like best hair, best laugh and best car salesman etc some were pretty funny I got best friend. We had speakers in the next day and that night was girls and guys night. The guys decorated an area like a posh restaurant put on suits and served the girls a 6 course meal the food was amazing!! The next day was a look back at the past year at Muskoka Woods and a look to the future was really good to see the ministry in full and explained- there is so much going on and is all very encouraging. Was great to be away with everyone and to met and hang out with all the staff in the Toronto office. On Friday Lindsay and I scored a lift down to Toronto I’m staying at her house until I fly home. Have been shopping and the cinema twice [don’t get to go much at the woods] Just back from an hour and a half run you may think I’m exaggerating but I kid you not! I should also say I some what tricked/lied to about the length of the run by my good friend Lindsay Ball! Can't believe my 3 months in Canada are nearly up!

Here’s to five alive in a tin, mastering the art of lighting a match from my zip and almost mastering lighting one with my teeth, “What are we going to do tonight? – Same thing we always do… try to take over the world!”, Building my own mouse trap, getting the van stuck in the mud, “It really is super good!” Alias Saturday, the dvd/thinking bed, winter snowy walks, “Aaron is this a word…?”, fake teeth, “We’ve destroyed you!”, Kenny vs Spenny, “and id like a pet puppy but not a normal puppy I want one that does tricks!”, skittle juice, “agreed”, mastering proper layering to stay warm, “Oh my guudness!!”, learning how to efficiently plunge a toilet, spotting a skunk, “Brutal and super sketchy!”, playing take 2 for hours on end, “Why don’t you get another bowl of soup?- Why because I didn’t like the first bowl!?”, “you wouldn’t, you couldn’t, you shouldn’t… DON’Y DO IT!”, “Awk noy”, “Look another dolls head!, if these were real this would be a very bad day!”, "SERIOUSLY!" and to Lindsay’s head bob after she eats!

Pictures: On the top left we have Yetunde and myself, followed by a our ladies night, then the Squirral that had been feeding from our bin. Down the right side is Lindsay and myself! Check out Lindsays amazing knitted green dress!!- I kid you not!!

"Anyone heard of Sprucedale?!"

2006-11-27T16:49:00.000Z

We had worship at our staff bible study for the first time on Thursday night. We got everyone to either make or bring a musical instrument and four people lead worship and asked for everyone to join in with singing and playing along whenever they felt comfortable. We had people beating drums with brushes, fruit bowls with spoons, violins and a instrument made with tin cans, a tent pole and toilet paper it sounded amazing when people found their groove and we as a community were playing together. Afterwards we played some games including my favourite Empire!!
Fall contract is now officially over although most of us have signed up to work an extra couple of days doing odd jobs about the woods before we clear off. Had a great evening last night we left just after weekend clear up into Huntsville for dinner and Walmart. On our way home we or should I say Mike thought would be a good idea to see if we could find an ulterior route home so we took Muskoka road 2 instead of 3. It started off a pretty main road until it began to get just a wee bit wider than the road my house is on for all of you that have been. Jokes started about it becoming a dirt road and sure enough it wasn’t long until we were on dirt road and by now we were committed no turning back! We then started following the cars in front at crossroadsor playing rock paper sissors to decide which direction until we found a hick town called Sprucedale. Went into the local B&B and got directions back to Rosseau we were a good hour in the wrong direction before we even hit roads we knew. Was such a random drive we were in the middle of know where but all the houses had big elaborate Christmas lights it was great craic.

Here’s to 20 questions, Alias, “Did you just wake up? I wish I just woke up!”, accidentally scaring Terri and her falling over, “SHOTGUN!”, to Mike firing the ball at us as hard as he could in Dodge ball, pilling 8 people into the 3 seater pick up truck cab, “Is it something made of the statue of liberty?” Yelling at the top of our voices at Woods lake, the many stars at woods lake, Brenda banging her head on the window about 11 times!, blueberry bagels and to having the morning off.

No pictures allowed in Walmart

2006-11-22T18:28:00.001Z

As it turns out a root canal is not as half as bad as I expected it to be! In fact I even uttered the words “Is that it?!” So fear not if your dentist ever tells you that you need a root canal. On Monday night bored we headed to Walmart for a worst dressed custom contest. Melissa picked Lindsay’s outfit and Aaron choose mine. I think its petty fait to say I won! Thanks to Walmarts no picture policy there is no good photographic proof. I put my phone on silent and took a picture of myself. Below what you see is a maroon skirt with a pair of blue/green ¾ length track suit bottoms or as they are known here leisure pants! I’ve spent my free time mastering some activates- basketball, archery [check out the picture all arrows on the board with blue being the furthest out] and roller skating next on my list is going down ramps on a skateboard, learning to inline skate and reaching the top of the third climbing wall- good job I’ve nearly a full week of free time here next week!

Here’s to Lindsay pulling the heater box off the wall, “If I had a million dollars”, to having a French emersion school here this week, Zombie, buying the ugliest hat and making Mike wear it, having our one on one evaluations at the weekend, "The top of my fish smells like fruit loops!" to travel insurance, the rental rocket, spreading the love of boxsets, "I think my fish are eating their babies", and to up and coming road trips.

Duck tape, evaluations & 1 week to go.

2006-11-18T14:55:00.000Z

Monday starts the last week on fall contract! It’s really creped by so fast as they say time flies when your having fun! The past few weeks we have started hosting rather than specialising. Hosting means instead of staying at one activity for the morning or afternoon you travel around with a group of kids and run all their activities. It’s great as you get to know the kids which I def prefer this to only having them for an hour and not really getting involved to much with them. I’ve made some really amazing friends here will be sad to say goodbye although I have a few fun packed weeks of fellowship after we finish before I come home. We had to fill out evaluations this week everybody had to evaluate 3 other people and then our bosses are going to have a sit down evaluation with us individually. Was hard as your not just evaluating your work colleges but your housemates and friends!
Here’s to duck taping Mike to the wall, “Don’t point the arrow at my eye!!”, to deepended friendships, Ponchi dropping and smashing open a tin of soup, “Onh” Lindsay head butting Mike in the mouth, Aaron mixing soap into my cereal, late night walks, to learning how to use the radio station, "I think I sprained both my ankles running over here" & to playing Broomball for the first time.

I am finally getting my root canal on Monday afternoon!

Pictures: Mike duck taped to the wall followed by Matt & I

The rents

2006-11-09T23:38:00.000Z

My parents flew in on Friday and I picked them up and drove back in a bit of a snow blizzard! They had a tour of the woods on Saturday and met all my friends which was cool. We caught the greyhound bus back down to Toronto on Monday. After we got to our hotel we went for a walk downtown had our lunch in the Eaton centre and mossied about until bed time. Tuesday was the best day we went on a day trip to Niagara Falls and got a helicopter ride over them was so sweet! We had lunch over looking the falls and then watched an i max movie on them. Bet you didn’t know that the falls have moved approx 11 k from where people believe they originally started?! On Wednesday we had our lunch up the CN Tower I have to say it was the poshest restaurant I have ever eaten at but I did laugh when they produced Tomato Ketchup especially as I didn’t ask for it! The CN Tower was amazing but was pretty misting up there so sadly we didn’t see much.I then came back up the road on Wednesday night giving the parents Thursday to themselves before they fly home on Friday morning.
We’ve been playing a game called bang this week. All the staff are given another staff members name. The goal is to kill that person by using your hand as a gun on the person and saying bang. The person has to be alone and no one else can hear you say bang and it has to be outdoors. When you kill someone they give you the name of the person they are after until its down to 2 people who battle it out. It was great craic I managed to kill 3 people and stay alive until I went to Toronto. I get off the bus from Toronto and got shot straight away by Dave who was picking me up I tried to call foul fair play but apparently a game is a game! Also been playing some settlers have some new interesting rules to add to our game at Christmas. Here’s to: “That’s remarkable I’ve never actually seen anyone do that before!”, to Mike chasing down a ranger to kill Landon in bang, to TW, to rays stir fry and to getting slightly addicted to Smallville!

Entertainment

2006-11-09T23:24:00.000Z

24 fans check this out- It's very exciting! [Also good excuse to have Jack on my blog again!]

If you want a laugh this is def worth it, its done plenty of rounds at the woods of late.

Dentist & Car accident

2006-11-09T23:16:00.000Z

As it turned out I have an abscess on my tooth and by last Sunday am I looked like I had a black eye and my whole cheek had swollen up! I went to the dentist and was given antibiotics and an estimated bill of $500 for a root canal (thank goodness for travel insurance!) I had to give the antibiotics a few days to bring down the infection so I had a new appointment for Thursday. On Wednesday night it began to snow so the roads were pretty bad by Thursday lunchtime when we left for the dentist. We turned from Rosseau onto the road to Huntsville and slide on ice which was a warning to slow down as around the next corner we started to skid and slide off the road into a ditch, thankfully it wasn’t to bad as I was expecting the car to roll. Plus had it of happened round the next corner we would have landed in a lake! We phoned the woods for help and 12 people passed and stopped to see if we needed help. I was 45 mins late for the dentist so he wasn’t sure if he would have time to finish the root canal. He froze my mouth with twice the amount of freeze but I could still feel my tooth so we had to abandon our plans so I’m re booked in next week and if its still the same he’ll have to book me into a specialist in Barrie to be knocked out! I’m so glad he didn’t just drill anyway as I had a Mc Flurry afterwards and the pain from the coldness was bad enough don’t like the thought of the pain if he had of drilled!! Now for some teeth here’s to: “I cant wait for you to be fixed so I can bug you again!” hurting my mouth putting moisturiser on, to Mike accidentally hitting me in the face several times, “You hit yourself in the mouth again didn’t you?” To “Just so you know I have to eat with my mouth slightly open so I don’t accidentally hurt myself!” and to yelping in pain in Walmart.

Marker fights, friendships & the medicine ball game

2006-10-28T20:04:00.000+01:00

It’s been a while since I’ve updated but it’s been lots of fun! Had a great weekend down in Bolton at my friend’s house and got a chance to check out down town Toronto a bit of the CN tower and the Air Canada centre. Have been able to develop a lot of friendships and 5 of us have been hanging out lots playing our made up medicine ball game in the staff lounge, going to Walmart and Dairy Queen and watching CSI. The other night we went to the Muskoka area equivalent to Drumcrea forest which was scary/fun, I find its best in scary situations to hold onto dear life the people you know will try and scare you! The past few schools have been pretty stressful especially on ropes I really feel the responsibly especially when I turn round after clipping a kid on to climb the 50 foot cargo net to turn round and see the 1st kid 10 feet up it after telling them not to climb yet, quickly checking their belay post to discover no one on it and if they fell they would for sure hit the ground with a bump! Kids these days just do not listen! I had to act calm so she didn’t panic and then tell her how important it is to listen to my instructions when I had her back on the ground!
I’m taking the staff bible study on Thursday night I’m looking forward to organising it and taking it. I have a 4 part series planned out so hopefully it’ll all go well and the craic will be 90 as it hasn’t been the past few Thursday nights.
Here’s to “If I wanted to have a moustache I could draw one on myself!”, to wee dog, playing the medicine ball game, “Make sure you don’t drop any food on your lap”, planning a road trip to Niagara falls and USA, “Shhooott guy!”, to marker fights, "when you let me go I am going to kill you!!", to being bought a Jack Bauer poster for no reason at all, to the immense pain I’m feeling due to a tooth ache, to ringing 20ish dentists to find one open on a Saturday to get an appointment on Monday, late night chats, to Ponchie and the mouse and to the famous 5's trip to Barrie tomorrow.

Picture: 3 of the famous 5 at Dairy Queen- love that picture.

Here's to

2006-10-18T19:44:00.000+01:00

Here's to being back in t-shirt weather, going to Bolton this weekend, cutting my minute mile time by a further 30 seconds, “How ya daun?” to my parents coming on 3^rd Nov for a week, to Mikes halloween costume [Giant Flamingo], to accidentally breaking the kitchens microwave, putting a marque in the farmhouse common room due to boredom, leisure sports, “Beautyyyyy” to freaking out matt, Ted's rice krispie squares, the amount of stars you can see at night here and to seeing a shooting star.

Snow, job & a bulls eye

2006-10-14T22:51:00.000+01:00

The weather has played a part in how fun the past few days have been. We started of with very heavy rain Wednesday, followed by 2 days of heavy snow and heavy rain today. Doing activites in the rain and snow is a lot of fun- slipping and sliding everywhere on mountain bikes getting soaked to the skin, or wizzing down the zipline in a snow blizzard or doing donunts in the pick up truck on the driving range in pouring rain. We also made our first snowman called Ted. This sudden change in weather lead to a lot of people giving me free clothes. 80% of what Im wearing in the picture of me on a golf cart was a gift including the $250 brand new coat that would fit a pregant woman with triplets but the extra room means I can put on extra layers. Sadly I didnt get the job with Samaritans Purse but Im completely ok with it as I praying about it alot and submitted it all to God and know that there is something else for me. I do have 2 other possibilities so you and I will just have to wait and see. Here's to our pet cactus, "did you just say over the wee bridge?", golf cart snowball fights, "enh enh enh no you didn’t!" to my $10 walmart bright yellow rain trousers that ripped on the first day of wearing them then lindsey borrowed them and ripped them even more!, to hitting a bulls eye when showing kids how to fire an arrow in archery, to our Walmart past time and to Mike trying to convince the cashier in Walmart that my accent was fake!
Pictures: First we have Ponchie, Candince and I, followed by Mike & I, then Ted the snowman and finally Ponchie & I and then further down we have Lindsey modelling my lovely ripped yellow rain trousers!

Thanksgiving

2006-10-09T03:24:00.000+01:00

I spent the weekend in Toronto it was great to get away from the woods to civilisation for a few days. Friday night was chilled and we got pizza and dairy queen and watched some TV and had an early night in preparation for our day of shopping!! I tried to get some good winter clothes but sadly I was unsuccessful although if all the people who promised to give me stuff actually give it to me ill be good to go! Did manage to get some new clothes and a lot of DVD’s. Watching films is our main past time at the woods at night if we’re not in the gym, working or on the internet. So I took the opportunity to build my own collection instead of always borrowing. You know this newly started collection would contain 3 new boxsets!! [Smallville, My name is Earl and Prison Break] It was thanksgiving today went to church this morning which was great then a quick trip to the mall and home for some long awaited home cooked food, the camp food is good enough but boy do I miss my mums cooking! We’ve also been given some left overs to take back to camp. I have shot gunned all the honey glazed ham! I could soon have some very big news I’ve been thinking and praying a lot about my future since I’ve been here and have applied for a job with Samaritans Purse in Calgary. The position is Youth Teams Coordinator the job sounds amazing it involves organising all Samaritans mission trips to Asia, South America and Eastern Europe and not only do you get to organise 8-10 teams a year but am able to go on 4-5 of these teams. Over 25 people applied and I was in the short list of 6. I had a phone interview last week and will know one way or the other on Wednesday its all very scary but exciting at the same time so their could be some big changes & decisions very soon but I’m trusting God and know its all in his hands and only he can make it all work out. Here’s to Dairy Queen Oreo ice cream, what what WHAT?!, my parents coming to visit in November, to managing for a week to go to the gym every morning at 6.30am instead of after work, to being wreaked every afternoon due to getting up every morning at 6.30am to go to the gym!, to receiving lots of church cds in the post on Friday, to new staff starting on Wednesday, to Terri telling the workers of a chemist that I had OCD and could I wash my hands after using too much moisturiser and trying to remove it twice unsuccessfully with alcohol gel and was desperate to wash my hands! [Claire and Emma I included this as I know you'll a) Laugh and b) understand!!] and to leaving Toronto at 7am in the morning to be back at work for 10am to welcome 400 kids.

Golf carts, Paintballing & the favourite

2006-09-29T22:10:00.000+01:00

Well folks Ive been here a month very hard to believe. All is still well although I honestly believe that If I'm going to seriously injure myself here it will be on a golf cart... On wed night Lindsey and I were taking a youth group up at B3 our skate park that is on top of a hill in a forest. When it came to come back down the kids pilled in to cars and we got into the golf cart to discover we had one with no lights. We could barely see the steering wheel it was that dark let alone the path. It took us a very long time to get ourselves and the golf cart in one piece back down I should also mention this all happened in the middle of a thunder and lighting storm! Next as a passenger I was in a golf cart that nearly toppled as it hit a tree stump, then today as I was driving I didn't realise/forgot that different sides of the roads still exist on camp and with golf carts as I nearly had a head on collision with a ranger truck! We got full electricty on Thursday night the school that was meant to come in Mon-Wed cancelled so we got a fun few days filled with giant swing, zip line and paintballing! - So much fun especially when I didnt get shot once and picked off so many of the other team of course there was Irish terrorist jokes on my behalf for the rest of the night!!
Got to go to church this am which was cool but was no Ballynahinch Baptist, hopefully be able to go back there next week or try a few more places. Went to an animal rescue santuary this afternoon saw raccoons, herons, otters, beavers, lions, wolves and bears most the animals were either hit on the road or people had bought as pets and then realised having a wild animal as a pet was not really the best idea in the world! Went to a wiener roast tonight which entailed cooking hotdogs over a bon fire. Here's to being the favourite, Boredom fighting matches/Biggest bruise contests, being known as the one that always smells good, back firing pranks and having my first smore.

Black out

2006-09-25T20:50:00.000+01:00

I woke up on Saturday night/Sunday morning to a massive bang and the house shaking! After a few seconds of waiting for the trumpet call, I realised that Jesus had not in fact returned and started to consider a bomb had gone off. I looked out the window to discover a number of trees had come down and one was one fire!! So the fire brigade were called and Canada's version of NIE to sort out the problem by Sunday lunchtime Muskoka Woods and the entire area of approx 50 mile radius still had no electricity. After a pretty boring day it started to get dark and by dark I mean so dark that you can't see anything an inch from your face! So we decided to go over to the music hall and play sardines [One person hides and everyone individually has to find them once found you hide with them until the last person finds everybody] in the dark. We all dressed in black [the boys came back dressed as ninjas-very funny!] Esp when Mike tried to bust a ninja move and fell flat on his back! One of the games we were all on top of the lockers and another everyone was under the stage it was great craic you literally couldn't see anything, I fell out a window one of the games but thankfully it was a ground floor window and one was not seriously injured! Later we played a massive game of would you rather followed by a late night feast and bed by candle light! A school was meant to come today but canceled because as of this morning we didn't have any electricity, now half the camp has power sadly the half I live on still doesn't! Sucks to be me. So we spent most of the day driving around in pick up trucks picking up fallen branches. Apparently there is to be another storm tonight so we could be in for a fun couple of days!
Heres to living in a freezing house, discovering I am in no way equipped properly for a Canadian winter- I have some serious shopping to do, the sound of trees falling, pulling pranks and pile ons!!

Goodbye Tom & The ESBMLM Award

2006-09-23T02:34:00.000+01:00

Its all very sad. Tom had to go home the stupid idiot left it too late to reapply for his work visa. He had gone on holiday for a week to Toronto and last night right in the middle of the seaosn premeir of Greys anatomy he arrived at the door annnoucing that he was flying home tonight! Basically he has been illegal for the past 3 weeks! So im losing my partner in crime ill miss stealing things with him! Also this week I won the ESBMLM Award [Everyone should be more like me!] Yeah I rule and was the best staff member this week! Check out my award even has my name on it! Ive also been asked to help run a local youth group every wednesday night which im very very excited about. Here's to climbing up to see what was in our attic due to late night boredom, to Terri getting stuck in the attic, finally being able to open a bank account, to new staff and nearly killing myself on a golf cart- NO JOKE!

Colours

2006-09-20T21:08:00.000+01:00

The past couple of days have been good cant believe Ive only been here 2 & a half weeks, continuing to get to know people better and good friends are being made. Was instructing golf, zipline and high ropes yesterday and today managed to get lost taking kids hiking I just told them I liked going off the beaten track but I however was slightly concerned at one point and thought search and rescue may have been needed but thankfully I found the path soon enough. I love taken kids hiking the trees are so beautiful so many colours- pink, red, green, orange, yellow even purple espically at the top over looking the lake at each side the trees seem to go on forever. Ive to take another group in about 10 mins so hopefully the same thing wont happen again! I had my best moment at Muskoka woods so far yesterday when we were able to send a wheel chair bound disabled kid down the zipline. He was here with his school and wasn't able to take part in very many activities so we worked out a way to pull him up to the zipline tower and send him down it. His entire school came to watch and played drums and cheered him on, his mum and several teachers were in tears and he said it was like he was flying over the grand canon. He had the biggest smile on his face the rest of the day it was class! Lindsey and I have managed to watch 24 episodes of Greys anatomy since starting on Monday sneaking an episode here and there before the new season starts on Tonight we need to fit 3 more episodes in somewhere! Here's to my dad getting a ticket to the Ryder Cup!! Its been his dream to go for years and now he gets to go to the first one in Ireland! and to much much laughter!

Hot tailing it!

2006-09-18T13:59:00.000+01:00

So im in this shop looking about when my friend terri spots a pipe and asks the lady if they have anymore as she would like to buy one for her dad. The woman says sure follow me she takes us to the back of the shop and pushes back a stand to reveal a secret room, I thought thats weird but innocently walked in behind terri it took me a second to realise what kinda room i was standing in, it was full of mara wanna pipes and other stuff that looked very much illegal!! Needless to say terri and i hot tailed it out of there leaving the woman standing in the room wondering what just happened! Here's to the half dead mouse, to the now dead mouse, to free t-shirts, going canoing, more seconds off my minute mile time, scoring a free pair of puma shoes from the lost and found, and to very late night chats!

Visuals

2006-09-16T01:22:00.000+01:00

Thought Id give you all some visuals: Top left as you can clearly see is me on a golf cart, right of it is my house, below left is the ropes course and zip line, right of it is Lorna, me, Terri & Mike, below left is the entrance sign and then we have Tom and Lorna in Dairy Queen. I have more pictures on my bebo if you can find it or if the link works. Ive tried to make it public but it doesnt seem to be working. Heres to a mini donut and apple fight, being on call, trying not to laugh during the air band contest last night and to getting my social security number so I can get paid!!

Raccoons, Mc Flurrys & "My bad"

2006-09-15T00:09:00.000+01:00

The past few days have been good, I have to say I love my job and can't believe they are paying me for it! Plus have been told im good at it – which is always good to know, I feel. All Ive done this week is take kids mountain biking, golfing, on the zip line, high ariel ropes and climbing wall and play team building games. Tonight believe it or not i'm doing music at an air bands contest and then hopefully building a camp fire. I volunteered to work in the shop twice a week turns out if you work in the shop you don't have to do dishes and you get staff discount in the shop – SCORE!
We nearly killed a raccoon on the way home from Walmart last night was the first time Id ever seen one so glad we didn't hit it my main reason for going to Walmart was to feed my Oreo Mc Flurry addiction. Also i'm starting a new series on boxset Smallville was on special offer so I went with it. It then turned out a lot of the staff are Smallville fans so we're planning a Smallville marathon.
When I got back from Walmart Tom called me over to meet a girl Northern Ireland who is here on retreat with Urban Promise. Turns out she went to friends and has been to church- you can imagine we were both very excited at the randomness of it all. Even though its only been 2 weeks it was nice to hear the old N.Irish accent again and discuss our time in Canada so far.
I'm going tomorrow to get a social security number so that I can actually get my pay and to attempt to open a bank account hopefully ill find somewhere that will want to take my money. Here's to finally finding out what “my bad” means, to finding out Dan works at the Puma outlet store and gets discount (love their shoes!), to getting sworn at in Spanish when I wouldn't let a couple of kids down the zipline for not belaying properly or paying attention– I have to be strict sometimes! And to loosing half my kids mountain biking today!!

Ropes

2006-09-10T23:12:00.000+01:00

What a weekend... For the past 3 days I have been training to be a high and low ropes instructor. I had myself all worked up about doing it. The first morning after being told what was needed to be done to pass I actually vomited!(No Joke!) -That has never happened to me before I Just felt so much pressure and expectation to pass as well as most people already knowing it all and have alot of experience in climbing. We had to be able to tie 8 different knots, belay climbers, set up ropes for climbers, back up belay, climb and set up work stations and be able to communicate all these activities. The first day was spent on the climbing wall and belay and climbing on different high rope team activities, the second day I didn't vomit but I did cry! It was spent again on the climbing wall and then we had to set up our on work stations this was the main thing we had to do to pass! I had to climb up 45 feet and attach myself with a harness, and attach a pully to the wire and put a sheer reduction device through the pully and put a rope through, then unclip myself and climb/belay back down! Mike D went first, then Tom got half way up and chickened out. Was then my turn I climbed up and with great coaching from Mike at the bottom was able to do it and was about to come down when the instructor said that because Tom didn't do it and wasnt going to try it again the station had to come back down my immediate words were- 'TOM ARE YOU SERIOUS!!” But then realised I could do it and it would build up my confidence by the time I was coming down my leg was shaking so bad I didn't think Id be able to climb back down- I was so proud of myself after I did it! Then today we had more classroom style learning and then had to set up the stations again for the second time to pass, Mike belayed me again with Tom on back up and I managed to do it in a third of the time it took me yesterday- again very proud of myself! Although I did cut the entire side of my hand when I was up there. At night we had to practise our knots etc last night it left like one of those movie situations when someone/a team are not very good at something and in the film they play a song and show the person practising and by the next scene they were amazing at it well that was me last night with my knots while everyone else watched a movie I practiced and practiced (my song was Snow Patrol Eyes Open if you needed to know the sound effects!) So all in all I vomited and cried but I am now a fully certified level 1 ropes instructor!! and even better was that not everyone passed! The weekend on the ropes course I felt was good for us as a group as it really brought us closer and built trust up. Check out the climbing at- Muskoka woods.
Apart from ropes on Thursday night one of our groups had a disco and we asked if we could go so Steph, Tom, the 2 Mikes and I danced the night away it was great fun and felt like I was in Saved by the bell!. Here's to cutting my minute mile time by 40 seconds, hitting a seagull on the head with a vortex, the amount of chipmunks, getting invited to Terri's house for thanksgiving, to the movie 'rent' being rubbish and pretending to be awake during it, to getting sun burnt and to getting 2 kids stuck on the zip line and having to call my boss to help me!, to the big thunder and lighting storm, my first late night chat in Canada and to breaking curfew!

Make the Irish do it!!

2006-09-07T02:35:00.000+01:00

Today was the last day of learning to instruct the different activities. This morning we did mountain biking (which was by far my favorite will def be doing it often) floor hockey, roller skating and skateboarding. At the skate park is where the humor of my day began. Bradon decided to teach us how to skateboard. We started with how to stand on the board and move it and how to turn- so far its all good then come the ramps!! He did it a few times then it was our turn, we started off in pairs doing it I helped Tom all was good then Toms turn to help me. Off I went keeping weight on the front of the board as I was told only for him to let go half way down I panicked the board flew up in the air and I landed with a massive crack to the back of the head Praise the Lord for helmets is all ill say of course everyone pointed and laughed! Even with this burn I was able to go down the ramp by myself so I was very proud of my achievement. Next came the zip line... during the set up someone said would it not be better to send someone down so we can really see what its like?! The instructor then says “YES LET'S MAKE THE IRISH DOWN!!! With alot of protest from myself I decided to do it not realising this included a 50 foot straight high climb up a telegraph pole with only pegs about ¼ size of my feet to climb with. The zip line was 1000 feet long. I am kaking myself by the time I get to the top and Mike is down below shouting come on down in an N.Irish accent (Yes the mick is being taken about the accent!) After about 10 mins I managed to push myself off the the Edge with a little persuasion from John and I didnt swear! So I was the first of the group to do it we'll see who's laughing tomorrow when others have to do it!! Tonight after dinner Mike, Tom, Terri and I went into Huntsville to the bank and Walmart was good craic. Tom has been singing Rent songs all day and is now trying to convince me to watch it – I'm not too sure how long ill last- not a fan of musicals!
Tomorrow is the first day of instructing kids which I'm kaking myself at the thought of, in true Kirk style I'll whing it! Here's to replacement Oreo Mc Flurrys, "What up your craic?" (To explain someone thought when I said whats the craic I was asking whats up your craic!) and kids thinking a mouse was in the hall when infact it was only a chipmunk.

Mass Korean exit

2006-09-04T20:55:00.000+01:00

Well all the Koreans are now gone. It was very bizare to be in Canada surrounded by 450 Koreans which the majority of didnt speak much or any english.I started my contract yesterday and training began today. So far Ive had a crash course on instructing football, disk golf, hiking and ultimate frisbee. Over the next couple of days ill be doing Inline skating, orienteering, archery, mountain biking, beach volleyball, golf, tennis and skateboarding.All of which we get to play or have a go at while we learn which is fun. Then Friday, Saturday and Sunday we begin training on all the rope courses, swings, climbing wall and zip line etc its a 4 day course but we're trying to do it in 3 days. Ive met all the people ill be working with and most of them I think ill get on the best with so feeling good about that. Now also have my room sorted out so def feeling more settled and have been able to go out for a couple of runs and a cycle.
The first kids we've to instruct arrive on Wednesday lunchtime and Thursday will be crunch day for all the activties we've learnt over the begining of the week.Going out for tea with Lorna tomorrow night as its her last night :-( including a trip to Walmart to get some supplies. Here's to silver toothpaste, climbing down a pretty slippy cliff face during todays hike and laundry room conversations.

Disgusting!!

2006-09-02T19:17:00.000+01:00

So was my first day of work, I drove around on the back of a golf cart for a while opening cabins for the new guests to stay. Now these guests are from Korea they brought their own food which they were eating in the music hall. We put all the rubbish from the music hall into a pick up, I climbed in the back to drive about the place doing different jobs. Arriving at the big bin I help start throwing in the rubbish... So im lifting a bag when out of it runs all the watery stuff and rice from the Korean food all down my legs, down my socks and into my shoes! DISGUSTING!! and im ages from a change of shoes! IT STUNK! I was not happy but as I had just met the people I was with I felt I needed to just suck it up and get on with it! Most annoying was that it was all over my new favourite blue shoes! :-(

Canada

2006-09-01T22:10:00.000+01:00

Arrived safe and sound at Muskoka Woods last night/this morning at 12.30am. I think it will take some time to get used to the time difference right now I feel like I could go for a nights sleep. Through the tiredness from what Ive seen so far I think Im really going to like it here and get on well once I get unpacked, settled and find my feet. This week is a training week and then all the groups start coming from next weekend and the work begins. Im living in a cabin called the farm house and sharing a room with a girl from Austrailia I think so should be good. Stay posted for more antics...

The beginning

2006-08-31T10:07:00.000+01:00

Im leaving for the airport in about an hour- all very exciting. Will arrive there at 02.40 am our time and 20.40 Canada time so it'll be a long day. My address if anyone wants to stay in touch the old fashioned way or infact to send me a package!-

Rachel Kirk
Muskoka Woods Sports Resort
PO Box 13 [For packages replace this with #4585]
Rosseau
Ontario
Canada
POC 1J0

Keep safe everyone and see you at Christmas

The patrol

2006-08-27T15:16:00.000+01:00

Was at the Snow Patrol concert in Botantic Gardens in Belfast on Wednesday with Niall, John, Erin, Drew and Kat [Love that picture- not bad for a camera phone effort] I have grown to love Snow Patrol of recent days and loved the music at the concert but was very disappointed with the crowd it wasn’t very nice being pushed and shoved here there and everywhere, beer spilt over you and being poked with an umbrella! At one point we were being crushed so much I was lifted off the ground! We moved back a bit to an older crowd and it was all good. Just I would rethink going to a festival style concert rather than a normal one band concert.

Took a class of Tai bo last week have heard people rave about it so thought id see for myself I have to say I’m not a fan was like a cross between line dancing and the computer game street fighter think it was my first and last Tai bo effort.

Am now on ER season 12 it surely is good viewing!

I leave on a jet place for Toronto on Thursday afternoon all very exciting! The packing and good byes are well underway.

Update

2006-08-12T13:59:00.000+01:00

Feel that I need to update but also feel there is not much to update on so let’s see what happens…

July was a very slow month and August seems to be flying by at lightening speed I have the Snow Patrol concert in 12 days and go to Canada in 20 days. My work permit for Canada finally came I’m now just waiting on my contract.
I’m still cycling and have started running again along with spin classes and cross trainer. I had to give back the very nice Audi Avant I had for 6 weeks now back to the Polo and like Charlie I fear for the life span of my car. Still watching ER boxsets now on season 10- Slightly addicted.

Oh Canada!!

2006-08-01T21:07:00.000+01:00

Well hello… the future has been decided and confirmed for the next 4 months at least! I have just booked my flights to Toronto to work for Muskoka Woods Sports Resort. Leaving on the 31st August. Ill be working as a host instructor until the end of November then I’m staying on a few weeks to travel and then home for Christmas- am so very excited!
Life recently has included house sitting for the browns, a wee canoe trip on spa lake in Charlie’s canoe with good old Nevin, Getting myself tickets to Snow Patrol in Botantic gardens [there are tickets still available so come join us!], lots of cycling, E.R watching, Ukraine feedback service, 2 trips to the north coast, lots of Freak out rides, trips to the beach and lots of random fellowship.

As requested from Sunday nights Ukraine feedback service:
"Id like to thank the team for all the effort they put in for all the smiles, sweat (and there was a lot!!) for all the high fives, all the wheel barrows full of soil, you were all a pleasure to watch a pleasure to serve, to serve with and to lead. And when you talk of Ukraine don’t always talk about the laughter and the funny stories but remember and talk about the hard times, about the time when you first felt part of the team, when you arrived at camp and wouldn’t settle until you saw a certain kid was there, talk about the people that gave up their homes so we could stay, about the time you shed your first tear or when you wished you could of cried, remember the cooks that got up at 5am to start work for the day, talk about when the kids could sing along with our English songs for the first time, remember the first person to greet you when you went to church, team time when you learnt something new about a team mate, the time you realised what it was really all about, when someone went the extra mile for you, when you stood digging the ground along side a Ukrainian friend, remember the smile on a kids face when you asked them for a high five, talk about when you watched the kids walk home, remember when you included a kid that seemed lost, when a Ukrainian understood your first attempt at their language, remember when it first hit you that it was nearly over, remember when your realised how blessed you were, when you stood back and knew the job was complete and many more… all these things count more that we will ever know or imagine the impact these 2 weeks have made on Ukraine and on us. Remember and talk about the detail and please put what you learnt into practice"

Ukraine 8- another one bites the dust:

2006-07-19T17:18:00.000+01:00

We arrived back from Ukraine on Saturday night past. It was a good 2 weeks but was also probably the toughest I’ve had since my first year of everything being so new and different. Tough in a way that it challenged me and I think it grew me and shaped my character and leadership more than past trips. But even though it was tougher the craic was mighty and there are many a funny story. I loved the kids this year I learned how amazing it is to help make a kid feel special and accepted and how it can change their whole out look on camp (or whatever the situation it may be) and to watch their confidence grow through it. Especially one wee kid called Oleg- he got shouted at by a Ukrainian for no reason he got upset and completely closed himself down, I invited him to play with a rugby ball and after he caught his first pass his entire face lit up after that he was set for the week- he’s class! Here’s to Oleg, coco butter, Cock- A- Roach, Pastor Borris wanting to pee on Nevins knee, would you rather…?, discovering a love for bananas, the continuous lashings of sweat!, finally getting to see the Dynamo Kiev stadium, coverage, "Do you ever stretch your eyes?" Mike's facical expressions, freaking out in my sleep, “Your face looks like the back of a shovel”, Team times, “Just because your in my eye line”, late night chats, “Suck it up and get on with it!”, high five's, washing our hair with a hose pipe, too much food, vortex, it being way too hot, Our God is an awesome God, little mo, ice, the air hostess giving an 'I can’t be bothered' safety instructions, Dancing to I would walk 500 miles, Ratty’s woman’s bikini bottoms, PROPER!, nap time, wee fat mess, ta ta’s, “A small child in craft today fell on her head, fell on her head today, and there was crying lots of crying a small child in craft today fell in her head!”, discovering the toilet has a flush, the neighbours fighting, lying in a heap on Amsterdam airport floor feeling rougher than I’ve ever felt in as long as I can remember, getting everyone home in one piece and to the craic and laughter of it all.

Xhmelnitsky

2006-07-09T11:14:00.000+01:00

Arrived in Xmelnitsky by train late last night. Had a good nights sleep and have just polished off some lovely pizza! Our first camp ended well and emotionally- We got very attached very quickly. We leave for Volochisk tonight which will be nice but the team have to spilt which will not be so nice! All is well although please continue to pray for Nevins Knee he's pulled ligaments, for unity and motivation as we spilt. Here's to the small child falling off her chair in craft, the pizza place, late night chats, sweat, "Just because your in my eye line!" going to the well for water and little mo's affirmations. oh and France for the world cup!

Ukraine

2006-07-05T15:31:00.000+01:00

Have been in Ukraine now for 5 days and all is well. Camp has started and the team is getting stuck in. Didnt have too many kids to begin with but after some good old singing in the local town centre and handing out a few leaflets we managed to gather a few more kids up. We are only 20 mins from Kiev so came in here on public train and bus for the afternoon/evening. We're being hosted by a church which is different to what we're used to our first week. We're all staying in apartments and a mile from the church where the club is. Nothing major gone wrong but Nev has wreaked his knee it is on the mend but please do pray for it. The kids are great this is the first time they have had a camp in this area so the kids are loving it and its great to be part of planting the seed on new ground. Here's to Mc Donalds, the kid falling on her head, discovering the toilet had a flush after 4 days, extreme heat, craic and lookalikes [so far we have: Little Mo from Eastenders, Jady Goody, Darius, Ratty from Wind in the willows, Nedvick from Juventus, and Maradonna not to mention Pat Butcher on the train on the way here], to covering the toilet seat, bright yellow see through t-shirts, the vortex and to our good friend proper!! Please keep us in your prayers for unity, strength, energy and for immeasurably more.

Blunt | Quarter Finals | The big off

2006-07-01T00:25:00.000+01:00

- Went to see James Blunt on Monday was a good show turned out to be better than I expected. Got pretty close as you can see from the picture.

- Ukraine went out of world cup tonight- Very sad would of been amazing if they had got to the semis. Im now moving on to support Figo's men of Portugal!!

- Heading to Ukraine in the morning- Can't wait to just get there and do what its all about!