Mere Mortal Man

My Two Kids....

Here's Christopher playing "We Three Kings" on his violin in church on Sabbath December 30th, 2006.

And here's Emma, along with her Grandpa, singing "The Friendly Beasts" in church on Sabbath December 23rd, 2006.

This Mine's too tiny!...not

On Friday November 18th, after a couple of cancellations, the Grade 3 classes from Christopher's school went on a much anticipated field trip to Mine # 2 on Bell Island. I was one of the parents who volunteered to go along, and it was a very interesting trip.

We left the school around 9:00 by bus and headed to the Ferry terminal in Portugal Cove, after a very short Ferry ride we landed on Bell Island and set off for the Mine. After an unscheduled short tour of Bell Island we arrived at the "Historic Underground Iron Ore Mine and Museum".

The group was split into the 2 classes and Christopher's was the first to go underground. Before we entered the mine we were issued hard hats:

Our tour guide, Karen, informed us of the safety rules, showed us a model of the mine and the path we would be taking and then passed around a sample of iron ore.

Then we entered the mine!

As we started down the slope we saw niches carved in the walls where candles (and later oil lamps) were placed to light the mines.

Father down we saw a feedbox for the horses that were used to haul the ore cars from the ore face to the base of the main slope where they were hoisted to the surface. The horses actually lived in the mine in underground stables. The guide told us that when the horses were taken above ground they had to be blindfolded until their eyes became accustomed to the sunlight again.

Here's Christopher standing in front of some mining equipment:

And here's a very interesting artifact. It's a metal damper from a stove pipe. The miners would take some grease from the axle of an ore car, smear it on the metal damper and use it to fry an egg!

After we emerged (safely and a little tired) from the mine we spent some time looking around at the exhibits in the museum.

The museum also includes an awesome collection of photographs by Yousuf Karsh.

We had lunch and then rode the bus back to the Ferry terminal and spent a few minutes on the beach in the beautiful November weather waiting for the Ferry.

After another short bus ride we made it back to the school around 2:00, it was a great day and I would definitely recommend a trip to Bell Island and a visit to the Mine and Museum.

Back....in Black

Well, I'm back from my trip to Seattle & Vancouver. My flight was late leaving Montreal so I didn't arrive in St. John's until around 2:30 Thursday morning. So I didn't get back into work until Friday afternoon.

It's great to be back in St. John's, I really missed Trudy and the kids and it's so good to be back with them.

I've titled this blog "Back in Black" in honour of the very nice leather jacket that my sister Janice bought for me while I was in Seattle.

On my last night in Vancouver I went to Chinatown for a meal. There's a very subtle little awning that marks the entrance to Chinatown:

Actually it's not subtle at all, it spans the entire street and there are lion statues at the base of the white pillars:

As I was walking towards Chinatown I was thinking that I didn't have a lot of time since I was meeting Trudy's cousin Greg to see "Monty Python & The Holy Grail" at the VanCity Theatre at 7:00. So I was planning to go for a meal at the first restaurant that had a large sign with lots of Chinese writing on it. I saw one in the distance but changed my mind about eating there when I got close enough to read the English words....it was an insurance office. So I walked a little farther and eventually went into a restaurant for a meal of chicken & chinese mushrooms & chow mein. It was very good, the mushrooms were very tasty, but I just couldn't drink the Chinese tea that they served me. I guess it's an acquired taste because to me it tasted like hot bog water.

So I finished my meal, walked to the theater, saw the film with Greg and then went back to my hotel to pack. Here's the view of downtown Vancouver from my hotel room:

Downtown Vancouver is a cool place, there's lots to see and do. And even when it rains it's not so bad, because the rain comes straight down so umbrellas actually work there. Not like here in St. John's where the rain comes with wind and umbrellas are virtually useless.

Kirkland and Seattle are very nice too, we're hoping to all get there next year for my niece Kim's wedding. The kids will have a blast, there's lots of exciting stuff to do there.

Anyway, as I'm now back in St. John's with no more plans for travel in the near future, this may be my last post for awhile. Unless something exciting happens, like a trip to see the mines on Bell Island!

My Quest is at an End!

I had to go all the way from the computer to the counter and ask for a USB cable...and it worked.

Here are some pictures that I took as I walked along the Seaside Walkway over into Stanley Park:

These sculptures are called "King & Queen"

Three of these boats are not like the others...

This sculpture is called "Three Intertwined Treble Clef Thingies"...

..actually I forget what it was called.

This sculpture is called "Girl in a Wetsuit"...

...really, it is!

I may post some more pictures tomorrow. Until then remember: 9 out of 10 people who read blogs make up 90% of the people who read blogs!

Walkabout; and computers without...

It's about quarter after six on Tuesday evening and I've just come back from walking along the Seaside and through a bit of Stanley Park. I'd like to post some of the pictures I took, but this Internet Cafe computer doesn't have a port for the Memory Stick.

So anyway, it's off now to another internet cafe.

The Quest begins!

Geeks eat Greek

It's almost 9:30 on Monday night and I've stopped in to do a quick blog on my way back to the hotel.

I met up with Trudy's cousin Greg for a meal at Stepho's, an excellent Greek restaurant. The meal was very tasty and very inexpensive. After eating and talking for a while Greg and I went to a coffee shop for decaf Mochas and more talk.

And Wednesday night Greg and I are going to see Monty Python & The Holy Grail.

I've heard people say that it's supposed to rain here tomorrow. I hope not because I want to take some pictures especially of the float planes taking off down on the waterfront.

Anyway, I must get back to the hotel now, my class starts at 8:00 tomorrow instead of 8:30 so it's an earlier start.

Trudy, Chris & Emma - I miss you guys, it's only a couple of more days and I'll be back.

Love,
Jason

West Coast Wanderings...

Well, I made it to Vancouver. Got checked in at my hotel, which has a very nice suite for me to stay in.

I unpacked all my stuff and went out wandering. Well, not really wandering, I just wanted to scope out the route to the place I have to go for my first day of training tomorrow.

And then I went a bit further and found an internet cafe, and here I am.

My weekend with Janice and Walter in Kirkland was great, thanks again for everything.

I'll try to post again tomorrow maybe with some pictures.

Until then, it's goodbye from me...and it's goodbye from me.

Sleeping In Seattle...(sort of) Part 2

It's Sunday morning and I've just come back from a nice waterside park in Kirkland with Janice and Walter. Every weekend they take their dog Dory for a walk and a swim. The park is really nice with some very cool statues at various places. Here's one that I'm sure Christopher and Emma would like.

Yesterday we went to downtown Seattle and visisted Pike Place Market, a very cool place with lots of activity and people. Here'a a picture of me with Seattle in the background just before we went to the market.

There's a place that sells fish in the Pike Place Market that is world famous for their "Flying" fish. The guys there throw the fish back and forth over the counters and people stand around just to watch them do it..very cool.

Anyway, I'm getting ready now to have breakfast and pack for my short flight to Vancouver. I'll try to blog again sometime before I leave for home on Thursday.

Sleeping in Seattle...(sort of)

It's just after 7:00 on Friday night, and I'm at my sister Janice's house in Kirkland, Washington. Kirkland is a suburb of Seattle, so tonight (and tomorrow night) I'll be Sleeping in Seattle (sort of)!

I talked to Trudy and the kids on the phone earlier, I can't wait to get back to them, but in the meantime, it's nice visiting Janice and Walter.

This is my first time visiting the West Coast, so far it's been great. I'm spending the weekend with Janice & Walter and then Sunday night I fly back to Vancouver for a 3-day training seminar and then on Thursday it's back to St. John's.

Tomorrow I'm going to church here in Kirkland, and then maybe see some of the sights.

And now without any real attempt at a seque...wireless internet is awesome. I'm sitting in the recliner in front of the fireplace writing this on Janice's laptop which has a wireless internet connection.

If I get a chance I may post some pictures later this weekend. Watch this space for further developments!