Look what I saw out the window this morning!
May 13, 2007
May 11, 2007
Thorny Pork
Spring! Since I came here in December, the only animals I'd seen before a few weeks ago had been elk, bighorn sheep and a few deer on the sides of roads. Within the past few days, and without even really looking, I've already spotted squirrels, gophers, many new types of bird and the back end of a porcupine.
What's more, I received a call the other night from a new staff member saying he was in the cafetaria and was unable to leave because he could see a white wolf looking in at him through the window! I don't think he was very impressed by my suggestion that it was a goat, and it turned out there actually is a wolf pack that roams between here and Banff...
Last night the man who delivers the midnight papers reported there were two porcupines on the driveway. I dashed out just in time to see one waddling away. They're about the size of an obese cat with a wide spiny tail, and really, really not like a hedgehog. Apparently it's quite uncommon to see the round here, so noone believes me when I tell them. Serves me right I suppose for doubting the wolf story.
According to Wikipedia: "The name "porcupine" comes from Middle French porc d'épine "thorny pork", hence the nickname "quill pig" for the animal."
What's more, I received a call the other night from a new staff member saying he was in the cafetaria and was unable to leave because he could see a white wolf looking in at him through the window! I don't think he was very impressed by my suggestion that it was a goat, and it turned out there actually is a wolf pack that roams between here and Banff...
Last night the man who delivers the midnight papers reported there were two porcupines on the driveway. I dashed out just in time to see one waddling away. They're about the size of an obese cat with a wide spiny tail, and really, really not like a hedgehog. Apparently it's quite uncommon to see the round here, so noone believes me when I tell them. Serves me right I suppose for doubting the wolf story.
According to Wikipedia: "The name "porcupine" comes from Middle French porc d'épine "thorny pork", hence the nickname "quill pig" for the animal."
Good words I have learnt in Canada
1. Movalator - another word for travelator or flat, inclined moving platform.
2. Chatty Cathy - someone you want to avoid on the Greyhound.
3. Dor-o-matic - funny brand name for self-opening doors.
2. Chatty Cathy - someone you want to avoid on the Greyhound.
3. Dor-o-matic - funny brand name for self-opening doors.
May 9, 2007
Lake Louise bellmen have the best knickerbockers
I think I've discovered the original inspiration behind the Chateau bellmen's uniforms. Pity this guy was not wearing the regulation summertime funny hat.
May 8, 2007
'Resort Casual' and other meaningless phrases
Does anyone know what 'resort casual' means? Apparently this is the official dress code for the restaurant here attached to the lodge. I have used this phrase on a few guests and they often look a bit puzzled, but so far noone's actually questioned it. I suppose it means you can eat dinner in a snow suit or Crocs, should you feel the need, without getting kicked out or stared at by other diners.
'Rocky Mountain cuisine' is another one. Seeing that all our elk and caribou steaks are farmed on a ranch somewhere outside of Calgary, I don't know that it's entirely accurate. But I suppose since most of the area around here is protected national park, there's not much chance of local wild venison being served. Maybe I am just bitter about having to balance the prices of everyone else's buffalo striploin duty meals while not getting one myself.
'Rocky Mountain cuisine' is another one. Seeing that all our elk and caribou steaks are farmed on a ranch somewhere outside of Calgary, I don't know that it's entirely accurate. But I suppose since most of the area around here is protected national park, there's not much chance of local wild venison being served. Maybe I am just bitter about having to balance the prices of everyone else's buffalo striploin duty meals while not getting one myself.
May 7, 2007
Further steps towards broadcasting my life.
I have joined facebook. Yes, it's annoying, but it's also a small step up from looking up 'Funny Cats' for 3 hours on youtube, which was my previous main worktime activity.
Recently I've been having fun joining facebook groups. So far I'm a member of 'Abolish Phrenology', 'People Who Hate People That Try to Have Boston Accents but Don't' and 'Bromley Is The Centre of the Known Universe' (which I think is probably ironic, but may not be). Unfortunately my favourite, 'I Wish I Was A Sea Otter', seems to be an exclusive club which I'm still waiting for approval to join.
This is my profile, which you won't actually be able to see unless you are already my 'facebook friend'. Social networking indeed.
Recently I've been having fun joining facebook groups. So far I'm a member of 'Abolish Phrenology', 'People Who Hate People That Try to Have Boston Accents but Don't' and 'Bromley Is The Centre of the Known Universe' (which I think is probably ironic, but may not be). Unfortunately my favourite, 'I Wish I Was A Sea Otter', seems to be an exclusive club which I'm still waiting for approval to join.
This is my profile, which you won't actually be able to see unless you are already my 'facebook friend'. Social networking indeed.
Apr 30, 2007
Apr 26, 2007
Sick
I am inexplicably and revoltingly sick. Good thing my job requires no physical movement or thought.
Apr 8, 2007
The Ding of Spring
Isn't April supposed to be spring in the northern hemisphere?
The only sign of warming here is the sudden and terrifying deterioration of the trail down to the village. It's transformed overnight into a slippery death trap no sane person would traverse.
For the past five months, it's been under several feet of well-packed snow and as easy to walk as any summertime dirt track. Today, after three snowless weeks and rising temperatures, it's a giant slippery fun-slide of death with massive three foot holes everywhere where stupid heavy people with pointy feet have gone through the ice shell up to their knees in squashy crunchy snow. I made the mistake of setting off down the trail this morning and was on my hands and knees by the halfway mark. The hardest part was going down a set of wooden steps, which at this time of year is basically an ice ramp. The worst thing about the trail is that there is no way of getting off it once you've started, and it took me a good half hour longer than usual to get down to the village. Good thing I was only returning DVDs.
The only sign of warming here is the sudden and terrifying deterioration of the trail down to the village. It's transformed overnight into a slippery death trap no sane person would traverse.
For the past five months, it's been under several feet of well-packed snow and as easy to walk as any summertime dirt track. Today, after three snowless weeks and rising temperatures, it's a giant slippery fun-slide of death with massive three foot holes everywhere where stupid heavy people with pointy feet have gone through the ice shell up to their knees in squashy crunchy snow. I made the mistake of setting off down the trail this morning and was on my hands and knees by the halfway mark. The hardest part was going down a set of wooden steps, which at this time of year is basically an ice ramp. The worst thing about the trail is that there is no way of getting off it once you've started, and it took me a good half hour longer than usual to get down to the village. Good thing I was only returning DVDs.
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