Whistler and the Furrmont Club

Sea to Sky Highway

"We're going shopping for my birthday?" I asked as we drove past Ikea. My husband smiled secretively and gave me a look that said, "You'll never know where I'm taking you."
"We're going to snuggle, all together, on the beds there and eat hot dogs and cinnamon buns all weekend," Kalina chimed in as we drove past Ikea in a westerly direction.

A few weeks ago my adventurous family  asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I said, "Surprise me." That's just what they did. But, before I go too in depth with my story, Angel, is really excited to share hers first.

Me at the Fairmont with Pack Leader

 I can not believe it! I was allowed to stay with my pack this trip. I did not go for a sleep over to great Opa and Oma pack leaders. Although, I have great respect for great Opa and Oma, I was glad to be with my home pack.
This was the most luxury trip I have ever been on. I know it cost pack leader an extra $25.00 for me to stay at the 5 star hotel called the Fairmont Chateau Whistler, but I know pack leader thinks I'm worth it. I even got room service... Just for me! I was a part of the Furrmont Club and they brought me a fresh bed and clean bowls and a menu for my dinner. A doggy can get used to this pampering stuff. Did you know the Furrmont Chateau has a royal doggy service and all I had to do was dial "0" and they would bring me anything I needed? It's true!
That chateau must be a doggy hotel for they did not give dinner menu's for the rest of my pack. I ordered, the Lamb and rice stew, but I do not think pack leader heard me, it was only $10.00. . Pack leader tried to feed me that kibble stuff. Blah! I could not eat it after I smelled the lamb stew.

I have to share with you the room service menu, you will be surprised! I get so excited for this food... My tail is wagging just thinking about it.
Okay, for breakfast I could choose french toast, egg and gizzard pudding (I do not know what this gizzard is, but I am willing to try it), and egg and sausage with cheese. Then, for lunch or dinner,  I could choose from rice and bean (Bean is not so good for my tummy. I regret after I eat the chili. I know I should not eat it, but I can't help myself it is so good!), Baked grits and cheese, lamb and rice stew, or Beef stew and rice. Yummy! My pack Mommy says I must stop drooling now, it's getting on the key board.

Trees by the Furrmont - nice smells there

We went for a nice walk in the Whistler town, to see where we could have some dinner. Because food is very important and I know my pack loves to eat good food, like I do. Many wonderful smells there in that town! But, I did not smell anything as good as the lamb stew. When we got back, I tried to order it once more. Again, they did not hear me. I think sometimes that they are deaf. The pack leader's (my Dad and Mom) went out for dinner to a place called Milestones so, I stayed with pack pups. I told them that I wanted the lamb stew, but they did not have any money with them.

Me waiting for the meatballs

Pack pup Alora, finally gave me spaghetti and meatballs for dinner from the Old Spaghetti Factory. I think she felt sorry for me because she noticed I could not eat the kibble, so she shared her dinner with me. I love that girl.
We watched some T.V together while pack Daddy and Mommy went for dinner. They must have been very hungry because there was no doggy bag with them when they came home.

The next morning I went for a morning walk up the mountain with my pack Mommy.  The ski hill smells very nice and I even came across the path where a bear was earlier. Very fresh smell I was excited to meet with the bear, but my pack Mommy was not, so we turned to go back down the mountain to the hotel.
We had eggs in a wrap with salsa for breakfast, each pack member saved me a bit. It was good! I gobbled it up but still used my manners. I am a good girl.
Although, my pack did not take me to the spa and pool or order me room service, I loved the Furrmont Chateau Whistler, and I would stay there again but I would take the stairs and not the elevator. That is a scary place.

Me and pack Mommy

After breakfast we went for another walk because pack leaders needed coffee. I do not understand this. This brown hot liquid that they drink smells terrible. I think they should try meat juice in the morning and then they can share it with me.

St. Agnes Wells

We then got into the car and drove to a place that has many hot pools that come from the ground. My pack family called it St. Agnes Well (they have been here before). I do not understand why my pack takes so many baths. They smell good to me, especially after a few days, anyway, I did not take a bath. I stood watch and protected my pack while they bathed.

It was an exhausting weekend for me so I slept on the long car ride home and snuggled with my pack pups Alora and Kalina. It was a great trip and I had a good time.

Angel






Well... Angel is right, and she was pretty thorough with her story,  I don't have a lot more to add except this... it was an amazing trip! I loved it!

Thank-you to my family for a great adventure on my birthday.

It was exactly what I wanted. I am blessed.

Love You!
Anuschka

Here's Angel's slide show that she put together to share with you:

Customize a free photo slideshow

Flies and Sanity at the Barn

It's been a while hasn't it? 

Here's the latest news from the West Coast:

I was laid off in 2009, and have had difficulties in finding a part-time position close to home. Back in November I started working as a Farm Hand at a local horse stables. I must admit over the last few months, I have had thoughts of, "What the heck am I doing!" and, "How did I go from Accounts Receivables and staying at 5 star hotels to Poop Shoveller?" I must say I have learned a lot, and it's been an amazing journey, with some ups and some downs. 

I've been keeping a journal for my girls and thought you may enjoy this story, so I'm sharing it on the Wild West Blog. Let me know if you'd like to read more about 'the barn' and I'll share a few more here. 

Have a wonderful day!

Anuschka

The Flies... they were bad!

Monday May 6th, 2013

The morning started out pretty bad. Our catalytic converter was stolen off the Toyota 4 Runner and over $2,000 to fix. Last year, there was a string of thefts here in our area and it was all over the local papers. Seems they took a break for a few months after the publicity, but, now they're back. 
My first thought, “There goes our vacation money!” I have had such a great need these days to go rest and relax. My body aches, my mind is burnt out and I just want to go somewhere and drink margaritas. Even if it’s not Mexico, I don’t care; I just want to veg out, read a good book by a campfire, write a story or two beside the ocean, or listen to some beautiful music while sipping a sherry beside my husband. That’s all I want. It’s not much.

My drive to work was sorrowful as I watch my vacation dreams slip away into mechanical bills. I cried. Then I got angry.

“How could someone be so disrespectful? What kind of Mom would bring up a kid like that? Didn’t she teach him manners?” then some more judgements, “She so... didn’t discipline her kid!” I was still fuming when I started picking the paddocks at the barn (barn lingo for scooping up the poop).

“The nerve of some peoples kids, and now we have to pay for it!” a few flies flew past with a buzz, “How are we going to pay for this?” I was having a melt down, my own personal pity party as the horses looked on. Then, I began to notice all the flies hanging around the paddocks. There were swarms of them and a few more flies flew past, then one landed in my ear, “EEEEWWWWW!” 

I was contemplating stealing one of the horse's fly masks.

I did the ‘knock a fly out of your ear’ dance as Lil’ Jo watched on. His fly mask had fallen off and he was doing his own version of ‘keep the flies off my face’ dance, which looked very similar to the head bobbing motion found done by patients at a mental institution. Between the two of us, we probably looked ready for a straight jacket and a padded room.

Then I entered Odie’s paddock. He rushed up to me, and rubbed his fly infested face on my arm and I was greeted by a cloud of the swarming beasties around me and the poop barrow (aka wheelbarrow).  It was nasty. I may have screamed a bit, bobbed my head and I distinctly remember my arms were in motion above my head as well. Looking from a distance some may have thought I was doing a punk rock dance, but it was just the fly dance (I have another one for mosquito's). 

I’m so glad there was no one there to take pictures. 

There are things in life that will irritate you, that will anger you, that will sadden you. Sometimes, it’ll be small like lice, or medium like flies and sometimes, it’ll be big like those huge horse flies at the beginning of summer. But you will get through it. You always do.

As long as it’s not a brown recluse spider… those things can kill you.






As I write this there are 3 flies buzzing around my head by the computer. Did they follow me from the barn... No, the dog left the back door open. She knows how to open the screen door, now I have to teach her how to close it. 


For more information on the stolen catalytic converters click here.
For more information on the brown recluse spider click here.