Property Virgins No More

It is now official: Doug and I have purchased our first home. Our days of pouring cash into some landlord’s pocket are numbered. So are the days of trying to figure out what goes with 1960s brown camo carpeting or brown and cream vinyl kitchen tiles that extend to the backsplash (answer: nothing). Next monthContinue reading “Property Virgins No More”

A Festive Staycation

Doug had another set of days off last week, but after a bunch of long-distance, long-haul travelling and a particularly gruelling “hitch” (days on), we decided to go the “staycation” route and hang out close to home. This turned out to be a good thing since here in Southwestern Wyoming we got hit by aContinue reading “A Festive Staycation”

Adventures in Edmonchuk

From Vegas we flew north – way north – to the city of Edmonton, Alberta, where Doug and I will be moving sometime in the next few months. Doug had a one-day orientation scheduled at his soon-to-be workplace the day after we were scheduled to drive back to Green River from Vegas, so I decidedContinue reading “Adventures in Edmonchuk”

A Sejour in Sin City

Most of our trips this year have been into the backwoods and we are generally happier in low-density areas, but we decided that one place on our must-see list while we’re in Wyoming had to be Vegas, baby! So I spent hours scouring the web looking for the best deals and Sunday, November 15th weContinue reading “A Sejour in Sin City”

The Luxury and the Misery

After Doug suffered through two gruelling weeks of being out at various rigs (we figured he slept at home 3 nights out of 14), I whisked him off on a trip to Jackson Hole in northwestern Wyoming and Teton Valley in eastern Idaho. On Friday the 7th we headed up to Pinedale with a friendContinue reading “The Luxury and the Misery”

Oystergrass and Bear River

Nothing says summer like an outdoor music festival, so when I heard there was a FREE one nearby some friends and I piled into a car and headed out for the afternoon. The Oyster Ridge Music Festival (known by those in the know as Oystergrass) is a three-day annual festival in Kemmerer, WY that bringsContinue reading “Oystergrass and Bear River”

Colorado, When Can I See You Again?

On Monday, July 13th, Doug had to go to Denver for two days of oral exams to move from the training/apprenticeship stage of his job to full-fledged Field Engineer status. The company would have paid for his flights, but we got the go-ahead to drive there instead (only 5 hours) and so set off aroundContinue reading “Colorado, When Can I See You Again?”

Launching Summer

Although I missed my official book launch at the Book & Bean in Green River, WY on June 15th because of car problems, the owner and I decided to schedule a little meet and greet on Saturday, June 20th. I made sucre a la creme (using my aunt Micheline’s recipe) and gave out maple candiesContinue reading “Launching Summer”

“Wyoming folks have it better than most”

This was the headline for last week’s Green River Star editorial by Kathy Gilbert and from what’s been going on around the U.S. and the rest of the world, I tend to agree. Gilbert was writing in response, of course, to the national recession and everything it entails: increased unemployment, reduced drilling for natural gasContinue reading ““Wyoming folks have it better than most””

Not a resolution

If you’ve looked at the newsstands lately you probably noticed that just about every women’s magazine (and quite a few men’s) feature New Year’s Resolutions. “Half her size!” One of them exclaims. “This is the year you reach your goals!” Another promises. I personally don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions. In my experience, guilt-fuelled vowsContinue reading “Not a resolution”