Starting School, Doggy Disneyland and Weather Woes...

Hello all! I have not written in a while as the last few weeks have been fairly uneventful. I have been working a lot to save up money for some upcoming adventures, and still adjusting to life out West. My job at Rylie's is a lot of fun - albeit different than Swiss Chalet. The money is definitely better... I can take home tip money in one night that I wouldn't have made in a week at SC. The trade off, however, is dealing (at times) with drunken fools, and also the longer hours... The staff are great though, and I've been getting to know everyone more as time goes on :)

On August 16^th I had a job interview at the Calgary Board of Education, and as of last week I am on their supply list! I will be supply teaching when the school year begins (as soon as my criminal record check is finalized). I am so glad to have that little piece of teaching - as the school year fast approaches I am finding myself very sad that I won't be returning to College Heights this year. It has been an important piece of my life for the last 5 years and I will miss the kids and the friends that I have made there. It has also been a constant every year when September rolls around, and if I were at home in Ontario I would be preparing for my classes and getting ready for the upcoming school year. In honor of my absence, I will have to send a picture of my back-country horse trip in the middle of September! (not quite a beach in Mexico, but it will have to do)!

Last week Charger and I ventured out to the Southland Dog Park in the South end of Calgary. It was around 28 degrees... not quite as hot as I like it, but hot enough to not be wearing a sweater! The park is HUGE and there were dogs everywhere!! The main path in the dog park stretches along the Bow River and there are multiple swimming spots. The path ends at a beach on the point. Charger was in doggy heaven... much as I imagine a little kid at Disney World for the first time!

Trying to get him to leave was almost impossible - he would start to come out of the water and then charge out for another swim and to play with the other dogs. He made lots of friends, and at the end of the walk we met another Flat Coated Retriever!!! He was almost too tired to play, but found the last of his energy to wrestle around for a bit! Once we got in the car, he looked around and collapsed in the back seat - fast asleep the whole way home!

Now, this is the part in the blog where I rant about the weather... I miss Ontario weather. The sweltering heat, humidity, thunderstorms, warm lakes... The weather here is NOT my cup of tea. Two days ago the temperature here was in the high 20's... everyone here was complaining about how hot it was, and I had a sweater on most of the time! The heat comes without humidity - it's very dry, and not actually very hot. The weather also changes so quickly. On Monday it was 27 degrees, and today it is a balmy 8 degrees and raining.

 I have decided it's a great day to curl up with a book, coffee, my hoodie and slippers!!

I guess one benefit is that I have finally sat down to do some writing on the blog... I still don't like it though! Give me back my hot, humid, sweltering Ontario weather. I miss it!!!

Hope everyone in Ontario is enjoying the heat :) Miss you all xoxo