Now that we are home...

We came home to the most beautiful spring in Manitoba. Unlike other years on record, our end of April arrival meant no snow, plus 20 degree Celsius temperatures, budding trees and blooming flowers. Ahhh, our perpetual summer continues...

We made it home just in time to walk in the MS Walk, which is near and dear to our hearts because our friend Emily lives with MS.

Then there was my experimentation with becoming a baker of vegan whoopie pies. I decided that was too involved and I had to jump through too many hoops to become a licensed bakery for just one product. However, I can still whip up a batch for any of you who might want them for a special occasion and be willing to pay $3.50 per cookie :) They are worth it...for reals! Just don't expect to want to walk anywhere until the next day.

We spent a couple of nights at Dorothy Lake in the Whiteshell Provincial Park with the BFFs. We explored Rainbow Falls and Bannock Point, swam in the hotel pool and generally had a grand time.

I became the 'official' photographer for emmsgems. I've been taking lots of photos of Emily's amazing collection and we even had a live model session with my cousin Janell one afternoon. It's been exciting to see some of the pieces that Em has been making with the Karen Hill-tribe silver that we picked up for her in Thailand and the seed and nut beads from Peru.

We've spent time at Jay's parents' lake-front cabin at Royal Lake, Ontario. This is one of my favourite summertime activities, getting out of the city and hanging out on the dock.

I drove to Vancouver with my brother Mark in his band's van leaving late Monday afternoon and arriving just after midnight on Tuesday. We picked up some hitchhikers which was a first for both of us. At one point we had a couple from Quebec, a guy from Saskatchewan and a girl from Germany along for the ride. There would have been room for Jay in the van (it seats 15) but he decided to be responsible and look for a job. 

While I was in Vancouver I spent some time with my brother Michael who was without his family (they joined him earlier this month - you can read about their adventure over the next year). I also had a great time visiting with Jay's brother and family, Craig, Mathy and little Coco (Yohan).

The last six weeks have been a blur. We spent a week at Jay's brother's place stripping wall paper and painting the kitchen among other things. We said goodbye to Michael and Karla and my nieces for a year. Jay found a job similar to the one he had before we left as a Showroom Salesperson for an upscale plumbing company. I've been dabbling with getting a new blog started and experimenting with making fine silver jewelry with Emily. Jay and I have been apartment hunting now that one of us is employed. While living with my parents has been virtually painless and very easy on the budget it is time for us to be our own family unit with our two kitties again. I'm sure my parents will be relieved to finally see us go after 4 months of us living in their guest room.

So that's what we've been up to since we got home. As for how this trip has changed us...I'm still struggling to figure that out. Our RTW traveling friend Ali wrote a post recently that I felt summed it up perfectly. Maybe one day I'll find my own words to express it but for now I'll just know in my heart that this trip was the right thing for me/us at the time that we did it. I wouldn't trade the experience for anything.

Corina