The Voyage - Part I

In planning for our grand adventure East, we told ourselves that we were going to take it slow. Relax. We've got ten days to get there, we said to ourselves, there's no way it'll feel rushed. 

Uh, yeah. It felt ruuushed. 

The first big leg - from Lethbridge to Portage la Prairie (PlaP, from here on out) - was a breeze. We did the obligatory thing where we stopped to take a photo with the iconic moose (below) but proceeded on through to my Auntie Pat's.

Brief aside: one of my favorite moments on the trip occurred as we passed through Regina, SK. I had taken the wheel in Moose Jaw, and Uri was commandeering the snacks. As I'm navigating us through literally the only busy area in Regina, Uri decides that now, RIGHT NOW, is the most appropriate time to reorganize the snacks and put all of the junk that's currently askew in the passenger seat away. He's trying to be helpful - I know that and appreciate that - but his timing was just a touch off. Mildly annoyed, and growing more so as moments pass, Uri shifts our belongings around by my head, takes the cooler out, digs through it on his lap, puts it back, bangs around some more, when he finally catches my side-eye while I continue to weave through traffic. He stops, and as I try to figure out how to nicely tell him to please stop moving around for all of five minutes, we both just burst into laughter. Ridiculous.

Anyways, we stayed in PlaP - with the ever-gracious hostess, Auntie Pat - for a few days. I was surprised and flattered that much of the family was able to join us for dinner one evening (though I do suppose I have the rain to thank for that)! We laughed, we ate, Uri and I attempted to teach Jake and Austin to play spikeball, and I beat Casey at crib (I even have the loonie to prove it). Then, to add insult to injury, Uri, the novice-turned-professional crib player carves his place at the table among a strong crib family and receives the nod of approval after beating the seasoned veterans, Uncle Sean and Grandma. Was it beginners luck, Alberta charm, or was everybody so happy to see us they'd let us have it? Whichever one it really was, it was a great time.

 

Photo evidence of my big crib winnings. 

Stay tuned for part two!

Ta, 

Mel