We have just arrived back from a fabulous time in High Prairie with my uncle and aunt. After a quiet Christmas - just the 4 of us - it was great to meet up with family for New Year. We set out on the 7 hour drive north on Tuesday 30th, putting Neil's new GPS toy through it's paces as we went! After a couple of short stops - one for lunch at Red Deer and a petrol/loo stop at a roadhouse midway between Edmonton and Slave Lake, we arrived at 7.30pm, having been met at the highway by David and Valerie, who led us deep into the Salt Prairie countryside to their home.
It was my first meeting with my cousin, Amy, and it was fantastic to get to know her a little at long last.
After a well earned night's sleep, we were woken by an excited Jasmine, desperate to try out the hot tub! We managed to persuade her to wait until after breakfast, but could put her off no longer. It was a chilly few steps to the snow rimmed tub but delightful to sink into the warm water. The outside temperature was down near minus 30, and it was snowing, but we stayed in for a good 30 mins, with regular ducking to thaw out our crispy snow covered hair and ears! Jaz even got to show off and run round the deck in just her swimsuit, but refused to lie down and make a snow angel! Wise girl!
Later in the day, we went snowmobiling on the family skidoos. Jaz rode in the sled towed along behind David's machine, and the rest of us took turns on the back of the skidoos or the sled. It was great fun, and a chance to appreciate the size of the property - some 160 acres in all.
We celebrated New Year with many of David and Valeries neighbours and friends, and had a lovely evening getting to know each other.
New Years Day meant starting the trip back to Okotoks. We had made much of the latter stage of the trip up to High Prairie in the dark, so it was great to enjoy the scenery around Lesser Slave Lake in the winter sunshine. We had a wonderful couple of days, and look forward to the chance to visit again!
3 comments:
Happy New Year to you all. I am not sure about celebrating the New Year in hot pool in those temperatures! It is the thought of having make a dash from the warm water over the snow to the house. It has been a bit chilly here, with night frosts, and max day temps of around 3 or 4 degrees. Not as cold as you!
Love to all Dad/John/Grandpa
It took me a while to build the courage to get in the hottub - not so much getting in, as getting out!
Happy new year!
Hello Mrs Stopher, It is Lucy and Chantelle here. We are so glad to hear that you had a wonderful christmas and NY. We have had snow here too, but not as much as you! Our new teacher, Miss Hughes started this week, she is very nice. We do still miss you very much though. Love Lucy and Chantelle x x o o
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