Guess What Brian Likes To Do???

EAT!!!!

Yep, hello again folks. It's about that time again where the Emery's put pen to paper (well...of sorts??!) and update you on what has been going on.

We visited a ribfest last Saturday August 23rd (yep, you read right...a ribfest!!) in a place called Guelph, which is about 30 minutes from here. Basically, it is just an excuse for the top ribbers (that is what they are called...don't laugh, this is serious business!) sell their wares to the public at one big event. Of course Brian was at the front of the line!

Anyway, it was not just about food, there was a car show as well as several bands playing on stage, it was a funway to spend an afternoon just chilling out, having some ribs and shooting the breeze with some friends.....

Some pictures we took are below:

Above Elaine is standing by a car with no less than 12 tv screens fitted, 3 on the front grill!!!

Below is our friend Sam, enjoying a beef rib...or 3....

Guess what Elaine is drinking???

More friends...Bob, Sam and some guy called......

So all in all....good weather, good company, and good FFFFFFOOOOOODDDDDDDDD!!!!

Brian's Family

Hi there again folks.

Hope everyone out there is well and happy.

Brian met some family members recently in a place called Kingston, about 3 1/2 hours drive east of Kitchener.

This was an emotional time for Brian as these are members of his family that he met when he was very young, one he had never met ever until 3 weeks ago!!!!!

We will not go into details here, but let us just say that a lot of catching up is required with aunts, uncles, and cousins that Brian did not know even existed!!

Here is a photo of Brian with his aunts just outside Kingston's military museum. From left to right within the photo, Aunt Ethle (who Brian had never met), Aunt Dalia (who Brian last saw when he was 17) and Aunt Greta (who Brian met when he was about 5!!!)...and of course, we know who the gentleman is on the right, don't we?? (um....yeah??!)

1st July: Canada Day

Well hello there!!!


It is about that time again to place another blog entry on this ever growing electronic diary of ours.

We have been here 6 months now, time has really flown by!!

Anyway, you are probably asking what Canada Day is all about. Well Canada is a very young country (141 years young) and Canada Day celebrates when British provinces here became united into a federation.



The difference between public or bank holidays back in the UK and Canada, everything shuts down on bank holidays here...remember the old days back in the UK where nothing was open on bank hoildays, well that is the practice here!!!


Canadians celebrate by having fairs and parties and pretty much anything to do with the maple leaf flag.


We woke up early Canada Day morning and went on a nice trail (walk/hike) near our apartment, the pictures are below:

Brian......





and Elaine....




Then we came across this man in his canoe and his 'friend'....how cool is this???




We then went to the University of Waterloo who were holding a celebration day in their grounds, which was FREE! The U of W is about 15-20 minutes from where we live....see some pictures below:





Colombia Lake:




And last...but but no means least!! (Brian was hungry....WHAT A SURPRISE!!!)



We have also made some new friends, Jack and Kathy and their daughter Olivia who are in the next picture along with Elaine. The next photo was taken at Bingemans, which is a massive conference centre, with an arcade and water park. Bingemans were holding the firework display to round off Canada Day......



And here are some fireworks to prove it:







So that was our first Canada Day in a nutshell...hopefully many more will be celebrated!!!

Until the next update, Brian and Elaine are signing off.....

Hot, hot, HHHHOOOOTTTT!!!!!

Whew!!!!

Nothing much to report over the last couple of months...but it is getting hotter.

To those of you in the UK who asked us 'Why would you move to Canada...it's cold all the time!!!'...it is been in the late 20's in centigrade for the last two weeks, and not only that, add the humidity, some days it has felt like 40 degrees centigrade!!!!

Summer is not even here yet, so looking forward to that!!!

Brian has been on a trail recently not far away from home...he has bought a second hand bike....he has just got to persuade Elaine to get a bike now!!!

Well, that's all for now...maybe when we get some trails (walking /hiking) in, we will take some photos.....

Until the next time......

Home Sweet Home.....Well....Not Just Yet......

Hello again folks!!!!

We have some really good news about searching for a house. Our realtor (estate agent) has found us a custom builder called Pidel Homes, and they are building houses not far away from where we live now in our apartment.

Our current location is fantastic as it is near to shops and the 401 highway (401=motorway) for access to Toronto or London (no....not in England.....London, Ontario!!)

Anyway, we have been looking at various home builders for a little while, but the problem with mass produced homes, they won't really change anything within the structure of the house. For example, if you wanted a wall removed or added in the plans of a home made by a mass producer of homes....tough!!! You get what you get!!

With custom builders such as Pidel Homes...we can have really have what we want, it is all down to cost and how much one can afford. Their build quality is fantastic and the builder has been constructing homes in the Kitchener area for over 20 years.

However, everything here in regards to options is an upgrade. For example, just for the plot we have chosen which backs onto a park, we will have to pay an extra $27,000 CAD (dollars)!!!
The house we have chosen costs $345,000 without upgrades.

In the Canadian housing market, anything that looks fancy in a model home is 99.9% certain to be an upgrade and will cost more. So if you want extra cable/ tv connections fitted=upgrade....if you want hardwood flooring fitted=upgrade....if you want extra lights fitted=upgrade. Upgrades here do not come cheap!!

By reading this, you may convert back to your local currency (GBP) but remember, Elaine & I don't convert back to GBP anymore.....so it is expensive to us.
But we did plan on buying a dream home....well, our our eyes anyway and the finished product will last us years, and hopefully this will be our last home that we will be living in.

So far we have mounted up $27,000 in upgrades.....we might have have to get a small mortgage as we still have to furnish the house, right?

We have attached a site plan of the plot we have chosen and a picture as well below.....it does not look like much now, but hopefully by the end of this year, begin of next....we will have a home!!

The red star we have marked on plot 31 is the plot we have chosen....the house will back onto parkland and is next to a wood....

Our new address will be 512 Country Clair Place. The address even sounds nice!!!



And below is a picture of what the plot currently looks like....it does not look like much, but it will!!!



We also have the layout of our house...hot off the press!!! See the plans below...first, the main floor:



Then, the upper floor:



Basement next:




And finally...the front of the house:

Woman got a job!!! STOP PRESS!! Woman got a job!!!!

Folks,

Just to let you know that after really no effort at all, Elaine has secured a part time position, working in a day care centre!!! A big change from being in a secretarial position back in good ole blighty!!

Anyway, Elaine got this job through networking!!

We were in a pub, watching and taking part in a karaoke bar (don't ask!!) and Elaine was introduced to an English couple who emigrated to our part of the world now, about 4 years ago. They asked Elaine if she knew of anyone looking for a part time position looking after children at a day care centre. Well, Elaine said "I know someone.....ME!!!"

Then reality hit home, as Elaine does not have any qualifications in this field...but no problem!! They will train her up!!! Elaine had just one interview which lasted about half an hour!!!

Elaine's hours will be from 11:00am to 3:30pm, Monday to Friday, so good news all round!!

Stay tuned as we might have some news about buying some bricks and mortar soon....check soon for the next update...

Men At Work...Well, Man At Work Anyway....

Hello folks!


We hope you are all well. Just a quick line to say that Brian has got an technical support job (yippee!!) with a construction company called Aecon who are based in Cambridge (no, not in England!!), Ontario. And no before anyone asks, Brian does not own a hard hat!


Check out their website to see what they are about:


http://www.aecon.com/


Brian also got a job offer from Research in Motion, you know...well, for those that don't, the company that make Blackberry devices, you know....you can send emails on them and stuff!!


Nice to be wanted then, 2 job offers!!! WOW!!!


Nothing else to report apart from it has stopped snowing and it is getting warmer here....


Elaine is OK and is revaluating her job decision in regards to moving into the retail sector, as everyone here has said that the retail sector involves long hours and low pay, so Elaine might go back into secretarial work. Not sure at the moment, but we will see......


Anyway, must go now as we are sure that you are getting bored.....