Joses Big Canada USA Trip

22 days :(

2007-10-08T22:42:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!!

I know, it has been an EXTREMELY long time since i've been on, but its never too late to say hi i've been told! Anyway, I dont really have much to say, other than, my phone died again :( :( :( :( . SO BUMMED, its the second time this has happened to me, so i once again sont have any of my phone numbers...If you could email me your details when you read this that would be FABULOUS. Even if you think i have them again, it would be good to have them on email too!! Anyway again, thats not all i have to say.
There is now only 22 days til im leaving Canada, and back in australia. Yes, it's been a while since i've set foot on aussie ground, but still coming too soon for my liking. Sorry if i offend anyone, but its getting harder to think that im going to be gone from here for a while. This has certainly become my home, so much more than ANY other place. They say home is where the heart is, and your family is the most important thing. well, friends are the family that you choose, and my heart is with my 'family', here in Canada. It's amazing how if we just taste and see that Jehovah is good, he will pour out a blessing on us. He has truely blessed me here, something i will NEVER forget.
My service is going really well too. I still have a regular study with one lady, and have a few calls that are progressing nicely. Hopefully one or two will turn into a study after i leave. It will be cool to keep track of how they turn out. I have stopped working too, taking the rest of my time here off to be out in service as much as i can, and spend the most time with my friends before i leave.
We have our Special Assembly Day this weekend, and i know of three people that are getting baptised. One of the guys hangs out with us a lot of the time, 16, half grew up in the truth, but one of the other guys has only just learnt the truth in the last few months. I think it was within a month of studying he was an unbaptised publisher, and he's out in service a lot too. Has a real zeal thats amazing. And he started studying because of a witness girl at his school. Long story short, he's east indian, so had a lot of opposition from his family, they even kicked him out of home for a few days, but he wasnt peterbed coz he knew it was the truth, so was telling all his friends about it, and studying all the time he wasnt at school or working. He LOVES what he is learning, and is doing all he can to get moving for Jehovah. I think he is going to start auxillary pioneering as soon as he can too. Kinda one of those experiences i wouldnt be supprised to see in the yearbook.
Ok, what else is there to tell you all...Janaye, Sean, Deb, Simon, Amy and Becky all went down to the states, Omak, last night for dinner. There's a really cool resturant, Rancho Chico, Mexican, so we had an AWESOME meal. took around two hours to get there, and we got stopped at the border for around 30mins, so that was a pain, but oh well, just mad ethe food that much better. And i could have had real tequillas, but it was the states, so 21 is the drinking age, not 19 :(. oh well, i was with Janaye, so shouldnt have drunk anyway. It was still TONS good food. Fresh nacho chips, with home made guacamole(???), mmmm!! And we got some awesome candy on the way back too, i love the states!!! they have tiny chicklets, (flavored gum) that are super rad! AND, skittles gum!!!! As well as mini reece's peanut butter cups!!(favorite :D)
Ok, i should be going to bed an hour ago, have my study in the morning, and going through the 70 weeks of daniels prophecy with her...

Here are some pics of me wakebaording too!!!!

Please write to me with some news, be it contact info, or just info, makes me happy :D

Love to yall

me xoxo

New York New York

2007-06-14T05:04:00.000-08:00

Well guys, im back in the Big Apple again, and the weather so far is lowsy!! clouds, damp air and possible rain/mist all day. Not the 2 i read it would be, but anyway. Thats travel for you! I'll tell you a little story about my trip though...
We planned to leave Penticton by 3:30 to get to the airport (in Kelowna and hour away), in time to miss all the 5 o'clock traffic. And we did, bag on time. Then, 30mins later i hear an add on the radio about updating your passport, blah blah blah,... then i realise... i DONT HAVE MY PASSPORT!!!!!!!!! AAAAAHHHHHHHH!! SO we whip the car around, and drive hallf the way back to get it. meanwhile im trying to call home to see if anyone can find it for me for when we arrive. Eventually i get Mike, and he finds it in one of the two spots i thought it could be. We turn up, grab it, seriously think if there is anything ELSE i have forgotten, then hit the roda agin. Now about 4:30. Also on the way back home i realised my flight doesnt leave at 7:30 like i had read it at least 50 times, but rather at 6:35!! So now the realxed ride to the airport becomes a paranoyed that im going to catch the traffic and misss ny flight one! Mel call her fam and asks about the traffic, and if there's a better way to go and all that, easing all our minds a little. And........
We get there on time-ish, just over 30mins til my INTERNATIONAL flight, running (Janye and I) with my bags and stuff up and down the airport looking for where to check in, then running (now with MEl too), to the gates where i say goodbye and get security checked. what a trip so far!! Then, they full body-check me, first time for that. By now I have about 10 mins to sit down, get my mag out to start reading, then put it straight back to board! The rest of my trip went perfectly, stopped for 3hrs in Seattle, found a really cute shop... ate dinner at 10 at night!! then baorded agian for the 5hr flit to NY. Got there around 6:30 their time the next morning, having MAYBE 1hr sleep, to Jonanthan and Mitch, (not mick!) picking me up. Mitch had a silly moment, picking up another girls stuff thinking she was me!! Then i went home, kids came for the daycare, we went ot get breaky, and i helped watch the kids all day. Educational!! We ahd a family study last night too, which was really nice. Another sister and bother from rhe hall came too. It was the WT for this week, which I had done on the 9 row plane from Kelowna, so i had it easy :p

Now im about to go out in street service, so have to get ready in only 7 mins!!!

love to you all

Jose :) :)

Regular Pioneer

2007-04-20T19:11:00.000-08:00

HI all, sorry its been so long again.

Well, if you haven't heard already, I'm now a regular pioneer!!! I started in March, but didn't get my application back til the end of the month, so was announced the first week of April. It's all going well at the moment, have got my time for the first couple of months, so that's a good start.

And I've changed jobs again, am now at a cute little coffee shop called The Bench. I've only had one shift there so far, coz mum and dad are coming on monday for three weeks, so I have a month off!! But they are giving me the shifts I need for service, two days a week, and regular, every week the same shifts.

So at the moment Im in Burnaby, Vancouver, waiting til monday to meet mum and dad. I got a ride up with a couple from my cong who were coming up. And am staying with Janaye's cousins Misty and Tania. They are in the deaf cong in Vancouver, so I was out in deaf service today, and then the rest of the weekend, with a deaf meeting on sunday!! It's cool to see how another language opperates pretty much the same as what I'm used to in english congs.

Anyways, I should go to bed now, but hi to everyone, keep in touch...

Jose :P

howdy doody

2007-02-02T09:55:00.000-08:00

Hi all, just though it would drop another line to let you know how im going.

Pioneering is going well, just finished my first official regular auxiliary month and looking forward to the next few. work fits in pretty well too. i start at 6 in the morning, sunday to thursday, and finish before 12 most days, so i can go to the service group straight after, and have a full afternoon out in service. and the cong i'm in now is super good in helping me out. they will pick me up from work if i need it, and one sister in particular will keep going till 5 with me if i need it too, it makes it easier for both of us to get our time in. last week, she had to pick up her two kids after school, so it was Damaris (mum), Jade (daughter ~11), Kyle (son ~9) and i out til 5, and it was really nice. we all got nice people to talk to, and Jade and i got some calls too!! a real blessing that's for sure. now i just have to plan out this month, so i know when i can do what.
hopefully i'm going skiing/snowboarding tonight as well!!! there are a couple of brothers going up to Big White, and i'm trying to get one of my girlfriends to get a few others to come too. i still don't know how to snowboard, but its only $5 to hire, and $5 for a pass on friday nights, so i will either just try and teach myself, or give skiing a go again. its been around 8 years since i've been skiing i think, but oh well, at least i had lessons that long ago, so i wont be as bad as i would be snowboarding!! it will be fun if i can do something at least, i STILL have really been up yet!!

Anyway, i should prolly go now, have to clean the house, i'm house sitting for a couple who are in Mexico, and they're coming home tomorrow, so i should give the place a good going over.

love you all, dont forget to let me know how you are all going too!!

jose :p xoxo

2007-01-05T15:38:00.000-08:00

the creek i cross to go to work iced over!!!
the K of Apex
some wild horses we came across on the way up, HOW COOL IS THIS
the K run again :)

FINALLY!!

2007-01-05T15:06:00.000-08:00

Hi all, yes, im am FINALLY BLOGGING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

some news, last week i was announced as a regular auxillary pioneer!!!!!
and the other day i was offered another job, in another bakery in the wholesale club in town. the pay is a little better, and a little bit diff type of work, so i said yes, and hopefully start next week or so. im just waiting on when my last shift is at SAve On foods, then i'll be set :). the only thing is, my day will start at 4:30 in the morning, coz i have to be at work by 5:30 to start!! how crazy is that!! ive worked out a schedual though, so if i stick to it i can still get all my study, prep, service, meetings AND sleep in, as well as socializing. Thats the plan at least, lol!

oh, one of my friends, Janaye, and her granparents took me up Apex ski hill this morning for a look and lunch. it was SO pretty, i will have to try to send some photo's out. we didnt get to ski, but that will come still :) .

what about all of you guys, what have you been up to? what exciting or not news do you have for me??

cant wait to here from all of you, and i will try to check my email and blog soon, ok!!

love to you all,

jose :) :) :P :P :P :) xoxoxoxo xoxoxoxo

Smore??

2006-10-12T19:00:00.000-08:00

Dont worry, i didnt know what they were to start with either. Basically a certain type of cracker, with a toasted marshmellow and chocoalte inbetween two. The centre melts, so is all mushy and yum :)
An American thing i think.

Walden-Virginia

2006-10-10T19:28:00.000-08:00

Sunday Suzie and i met J&A, and Ray & Irene(who were staying with them) at bethel, and went to Cup and Saucer (a cute diner) for breaky. I had 3 pancakes, 2 eggs and 4!! rashes of bacon, i couldnt believe how much i got!!! And it was good. Then we all headed to Minnewaska State National Park Preserve, and walked around part of a lake. We ended up on a cliff looking down to the lake, with the water as still as glass. Except for the two puddles of bubbles where there was a group learnig to scuba dive. The views were astounding. Then we somehow managed to loose Joel and Andrea, but Ray ended up finding them again after a while. We found a cute little waterfall to have a muffin and photo's at, then headed off to Taco Shack for lunch. Then off to Bethel to get changed, and head to the 3:00 meeting. After that we went to a brother and sisters place for a bonfire, with the majority of the cong. It was nice, i got to meet a few more people :). One brother and sister were back from Tennasee, just for the agm, but are special pioneers, so told everyone how they're doing. I talked with a few people. A couple of the young ones said they'd take me around NY city for a day when i get back up, so that will be cool. And we had smores(??) too!! When we got home a packed up again, ready for the morning.

Monday i caught the 7:30 train to Penn Station via Secaucus, then the 10:35 train to Virginia Richmond. I mostly tried sleeping, coz the view wasnt the best anyway. Got in at 5, and went back to M&L's place. I was really tired, so after dinner M & I started watching a football game, but i fell asleep, so we nt to bed before the end. Baltimor V Denver, Denver won, 13-3.

Tuesday, today, we went to Shenandoah National Park, and along the Skyline road, which jumps from one side of a mountain ridge to the other. it follows a hiking track that takes 3 months to walk. The trees were just starting to change colour too, so it was really pretty. Then, after lunch, we took a 3.4mile walk to a waterfall, the Jones Run Trailhead. It was awsome getting in nature again :). We finished just after 5, and hooffed it down to a nearby apple orchard by 5:40 to pick some apples!! that was awsome fun! i had a long apple picker, that could reach right to the tops of the trees. we only had til 5:50 to pick, but still got a few between us. Fuji they were, and nice and crisp :P. then i got a caramel apple at the store, that was covered in nuts too. it was very good. Then we stopped at a mexican place for dinner, adn headed home. and since then i have pretty much been doing this, and emailing people. So now im well and truly ready for bed, as it's 12:00am.

So, ni night, have a good arvo as i sleep,

south american traveller :P

Leaving Moncton- AGM

2006-10-10T16:53:00.000-08:00

Ok, i should start with last week, so as not to get too far behind.

Monday night i watched The Cutting Edge, and recomend it, was a really nice movie :)

Tuesday we went out in service for the morning, had a study with a lady who is hopefully going to become an unbaptised publisher in time for the campaigne this month!! It went for two hours or so! Then we went home and I had a lobster roll for lunch, mmmm, and a burger, also yummy! Then we watched some more movies, ate pumkin pie, and when Brian got home we all went to Magnetic Mountain/Hill. That was the one place i wanted to go in Moncton, that i could remember, and Brian and Sandy didnt tell me where we were going either, so that was sneeky! It is basically a two 'hills' that you drive to one end of, then put the car in neutral, and roll down, then 'up' another hill. we did it twice, and i still couldnt figure out how it worked. They say the magnets in the ground pull you up the 2nd hill, but there's more to it than that. i Wont spoil it over a public site though, youmight not all want to know how it works!!
Then we went home, had dinner, and watched another movie, a couple of people called to talk to me!! I packed my bags, and we went to bed for a 5:00 morning.

Wednesday we got up nice and early to head to Quebec. Up at 5:05, and left the house by about 7:30, we made it for a Tim's breaky, and drove and drove our way to Quebec. We had lunch at a cute place, Pizza Delight, and i watched a movie on the backseat till we got to a pretty part of Quebec.(they have the most awsome movie collection, and we took their laptop on the trip!!!) We got to a hotel, the Times, at around 3:30, checked in, and then went to a close mall after a quick nap. I have now been exposed to Linen Chest, a store that you would LOVE mum. It has kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, diningroom, basically all home furnishings and stuff. The place to go for everything nice. Then we went and had dinner at Tuscano's, and were served by a french waitress (of course), but one who couldnt speak english, even enough to understand that Brian wanted to taste the house wine, or that we werent ready to order yet!!! So, my worse than anything french came to mind, and i helped a tiny bit by saying 5 minutes in french, one of the only things i remember what is! and Sandy knows a little too, so that was nice. then, eventually, the waitress got a girl who spoke english as a first language, and we stared to get somewhere. The food was good though, worth the effort. And i had a real drink!! because in Quebec the legal age is 18, not 19 or 21 like the rest of the continent!!! Then we tried going to the movies, didnt work, so we went to the food store, then went home and had some champaigne and watched the only english tv station.

Thursday I used the 'gym' and the pool, a great start to the day, and we went to Chez Cora for a late breaky. AMAZING food, i had a belgium waffle with bananas and strawberries, custard and cram i think, drizzled with a chocolate sauce. To die for, but way too big. I ate it anyway, but oh well!!
Then we checked out of the hotel, and toured around old Quebec for the day. So cute, the ambience was awsome. We went to Chateax de Frontenac, the most photographed hotel EVER. I was busting to go to the lu, so we found the bathroom, but it was locked, you needed a room card to get in! not impressed, and running out of options, i tried scooting in behind another another lady, that didnt work. so i then just asked a lady who worked there if i could get a card to use the bathroom, and she said yes!!! score ;p Then after i visited Aunty Audrey, we strolled down the cute streets of Quebec, soaking up the ocassional musicians on the footpath, and peroosing in the tiny shops that beccon you in. I picked up some 'better than i can take photos' postcards, and we made our way to Côchon Dingue for an energy boost, where i enjoyed REAL poutine with sausage and cheese curds, mmmm, (way better than Montreal Tanys, sorry), and a Guinness!! Then we walked our way up to a pub that B&S had been to before, which had a really cute and cozy seller. You wouldnt think it from the outside, but in winter, it would be the best place to go and have a drink, with a gorgeous fireplace that would keep the thick stone walls warm all night. Then we found a cute little shop with a purse (handbag) that you plugged an iPod into, with speakers on the front!! Like a mini boom box bag!!!! I really wanted it, but not for the $60 they were asking. I settled for a cute wallet (purse) instead :).
We left just after 5, after we took a few mintues to find our car in the carparck, off to Montreal. Got there around 8:35, after watching another movie, and Brian went out and got us a pizza and some more champaigne for after dinner!

Friday Brian had his course til 4, and Sandy recomended i sleep in, to be rested up for the AGM the next day. So, i slept in til 10:30, then went to the really good gym and pool til 12:30, then we checked out and went for "breakfast/lunch" at Marathon Souvlaki. Here i had my first Baklava, and was highly impressed :P. By now it was too late to make it into the city, so we set off to find a mall to look through. Well, we took the GPS to make things "easier", but driving in Montreal was not an easy task, and we got totally confused and lost, and couldnt find any malls!!! So, highly dissapointed, we were trying to turn around to go and pick up Brian, when BING, we spotted a factory outlet centre. So we turned off the hardly helpfull GPS, and hooked the car around. By now we didnt have much time at all, so just looked through a couple of stores, and then went and picked Brian up. Then, on the road again, to the border. We waited there practically an hour, (public holiday weekend), the nstopped at Friends at 9 for dinner. Yummy yummy food, and heaps of it too. We hit an inn at 11, the Red Roof Inn, and checked in. It was right next to the highway, the smell outside was revolting, and the inside was almost worse, but, it was a warm place to sleep with a bed, so we didnt care.

Saturday started at 6, with an 1.5hr drive to Wallkill by 9:05. I said some sad goodby's to Brian and Sandy, and waited in the packed out lobby for Andrea to come down. Then we staked out our seats, then went back to pick up Suzie. The meeting started at 10:00, and went til 1:25. We sang three songs, just like a normal meeting, and heard awsome experiences from across the globe. We had reports from Togo, Lebanon, Equador, North America, and France. Brother Max Lloyd and Don Mcclean were interviewed, as well as other long standing brothers, and the new DVD of both organisation videos, and a new kingdom melodies cd were released, and we were told the theme text for next year, Zeph 1:14 "The great day of Jehovah is near." There were visitors from over 69 countries at the meeting!

Wallkill Anual Meeting

2006-10-07T17:16:00.000-08:00

Hi guys,
just to let you know I arrived safely in Walden today, thanks to my adopted parents Brian and Sandy!!! The annual meeting was awsome, there were heaps of amazing brothers with talks, including brother Lett!!! And interviews with brother Don McClean and brother Lloyd from oz :P !! The experiences were sweet, I will have to fill everyone in, but don't know if I can over the net, they said something about not putting any part of the program on the computer, so I will check with Joel tomorrow, and if I can, will further update you all soon. There were over 13000 in attendance all up, at all the bethels though!!!

After the meeting, we had lunch at the Durkee's, then got changed, and I got some literature, inlcuding a Swahilli Bible, and some ASL stuff for you guys in Penticton!! And, there were some new releases at the meeting, a DVD of two organisation videos, and a new Kindgom Melodies, so i was able to take a couple of each!!! There will be a couple of packages in the mail soon!!

Then we went on a small hike up one of the close by mountains, it was SO beautiful, there was a cliff that we walked up to and took a few photo's from, and you could see Wallkill Bethel and all, really sweet. Then we had a BBQ type dinner there, and basically came home. I did manage to get a battery charger and some batteries, so i can use my camera more now, not worrying about running out of life.

Tomorrow we are going on another walk nearby, so that should be nice, then the meeting.

I will fill you in on this week too sometime.

L8a,

me, the north american traveller having a ball!!!! :P

just before i leave moncton

2006-10-03T17:58:00.000-08:00

Hi, just thoguth i would drop a line before i leave pretty moncton, as i dont know when i will next get to see a computer. it could be next monday, or it could be more.

Anyway, yesterday Sandy and I were going to go out in service all day, out in the country. But when she woke up, the weather was HORRIBLE, and there was a storm going to go through the country area we were meant to be heading to. And on top of that Sandy was meant to be driving a van all day, not fun in that type of weather. So, when I got up around 8, we talked about it, and decided to go back to bed. I had a really bad headache coming on too, so that was a bonus to get more sleep.
Then, guess what time i woke up again.......... 12:15!!!!! Ic ouldnt beleive it, the longest i've slept in! I'm getting good at that i think. Then I had a huge yummy breakfast of pancakes, beacon and eggs....mmmmmm, yummy. then we went on a couple of really nice studies, and came home and watched some movies.

i have to go now, but love you all

ciao :)

2006-10-01T20:27:00.000-08:00

hells gates minter gardens

peter, ??, brittani & me ann of green gables house

2006-10-01T20:14:00.000-08:00

just a couple of photos, enjoy!!

18-30 september

2006-10-01T11:00:00.000-08:00

ok, so , two mondays ago:

first though, i'll give you a run down, then if you dont have time to read it all, then you dont have to:

monday 18th sept- Terry drove me down to the border to find out about my visa, and i can actually apply now, while in canada, with a chance of getting in.
hotdog at Tickelberries, mmm.
food shopping with Tanys, then made grenola bars and curry dinner, also very yummy.
mess around on computer, find visa application form and print off then fill it out!!!!!

tuesday 19th september- BIG service day, 6hrs. went with a few different brothers and sisters.
changed flight to moncton instead of montreal
prepare bookstudy, nap, dinner and meeting, then cue connection with a few young ones for the last time.

wednesday 20th september- service in the morning, with the rain
out with Janaye after school to buy Tanys some service supplies!!! and bought cute sarrongs?!
Janaye and Adriel over for Balderdash, heaps of fun!!
help Tanys with one of her cleaning jobs, only took an hr this time!!

thursday 21st september- sleep in til 11:45!!! like one of my LONGEST sleepins ever!!
service for the afternoon till the meeting, then the meeting, then home for dinner at last
including icecream cake!!!

friday 21st september- another day of service, 5hrs. had a HUGE talk with a wierd scientist, for over half an hour!! Tanys and i were SO exhausted and frustrated after, we had to go get a drink!! a really pointless conversation. the only person i know who'd have got somewhere is brother Ray Oldfield!
went to wallmart to get me photo taken for my visa,then posted it off home!
ride down the KVR bike track, about 20k's, and we did it in about 1:30. i was so proud of myself, i didnt fall off or anything!!! went to say hi to Amanda, then i crazily went for a swim in the Okanagan lake. was cold, but i had to do it, and loved it.
home for mac cheese dinner, drop off amanda, then get the ingrediants for mum's pecan sauce and icecream!!

saturday 22nd septmber- a group o us went to Merrit, about 1:45 away, and helped most of the day to recover the chairs at the kingdon hall. HEAPS/TONS of fun, really nice to work with the brothers and sisters. left just before 4pm, andhad a nap at home before going out to Jose's for a burger dinner with the people from the day- Robin, Sean, Janaye, Crystal and Ed, and Tanys and i. then to the boys place for a movie and icecream!! then go home and have Janaye over for the night!! and have the pecan sauce with more icecream!!! very naughty i know.

sunday 23rd september- get up at 5 to pack and all before i leave, then crawl out of the house with Tanys and Janaye to grab breaky and catch my bus at 8:30. say goodbyes, :( :( :( drive through a few places, and eventually get to Chilliwack at 12:50. meet diane, and go home.
have some lunch, mmm, then go to a lake nearby thats absolutely beautiful. then go for a ride with Lany to Harrison, about 35mins away. once again, beautifull, and the ride was awsome, a 1550cc Harley Davidson!! then Diane and i looked arounf the sand sculptures on the beach, for some worldwide comp every year. then stopped at Baskin Robins for an icecream at 4:30, then raced to Dinner just after 5!! here i met Lana and her hubbie, who's name evadese me, and i cant remember what the place was called, but the food was great. we had escargot for an apetiser, and it was awsome, with heaps of cheese on top with a garlic butter sauce, mmm. then just went home and pottered before bed.

monday 25th september- a Tim's breakfast today, no tim to make something!!
Hells Gate's with Diane, which is pretty cool. we rode down in a sky tram, across the river. heaps of salmon trying to get up the ladder, but hardly any of them made it, so sad :(
Minter Gardens, so pretty. kinda like Butchard Gardens, but a lot smaller. the roses were awsome, but my camera stopped working, rrrrrr, so i couldnt take anymore photo's form there on in.
Value Village to look for a bag for my extra stuff, to make my bags less heavy and awkward. no bags, but skechers for $20 that i had to get, and a quicksilver hoody, just what ive been looking for, for only $10, so not a total waste going there!!
then to wallmart, where they had the perfect bag, score!!!!
Tapins putters golf with Lana and Diane, and dinner there too.
called people when i got home to organise for the next few days, then watched a couple of movies.

tuesday 26th september- Starbucks for breakfast this morning,, just to jaz things up. they have an awsome pumpkin and cream cheese muffins!!!
drive to the ferry, say goodbye and kill time till it leaves at 1. then make my way to Aubreys place in Victoria, to find she left the wrong key out!! it was ok, a beautiful day, and she called to warn me. so i put my stuff in the laundry the key she gave me) and ran to the library to check my email. got a little misplaced, but found my way in the end. aubrey picked me up, so i didnt haveto walk home, so sweet. dinner and pecan sauce again!! then played crib with aubrey, i actually like it!

wednesday 27th september- we were going out in service, but i was too tired, so aubrey just wrote letters, and i re-packed my bags. we had lunch with Savanah at Dad's, a cute sandwhich place. then we went for a doughnut, and then sun baked on the beach at Woody's Lagoon for 30 mins or so!! then we had to race home, get my stuff, and race me to the ferry. i JUST made it, running on. then i caught a couple of busses to the airport, and hung arounf there till my flight. i got a pack of cards though, so practised my shuffling like everyone but me can do in penticton. the flight to Toronto wasnt too bad, about 4 hrs i think.

thursday 28th september- then i waited a bit in toronto, and went to Moncton, about 1:30 hrs only. i only got about 1hr max for the whole night though, so was dea whe nBrian and Sandy picked me up at the airport. we went home and i had a nap for 2 hrs, then i crused til we went to the meeting, where i met a few people, then we went and got some food, went home, and watched 'survivor,' ate about 20 spicy chicken wings, and icecream cake, then just talked till late. the chicken wings squarked too :( :(

friday 29th september- Sandy is so sweet, i got juice wen i woke up!!! it actually wakes you up heaps, i like it a lot. i had a proper breaky today!!! and we picked up Brtittani then went to P.E.I for the day. there's a huge bridge to get over there, takes about 7 mins to cross i think, and it isnt straight, it curves all over the place, really sweet. after finding out what wasnt open anymore at the info centre, Brittani found a really sweet "How Bazar" shop that had a huge sale, 50%off all the jewellery!!! we spent a bit of time in there, and i got some really cool stuff. And dad, one of the brands they had in there was "Hippie Chic"!!!!!! i tried taking a photo, but it didnt work proplerly. ah well. then we went into COWS, a really cute shop that has really cute t-shirts of cows taking off things. like survivor, lost, desperate housewives, napoleon dynamite.... really cute. Brian and Sandy wanted to buy me one, so i got a lost one, its really cool. and a igot a postcard for aunty sam, (so i now need your address if your reading!!) we then stopped at a really cool ,50's style Starlite Diner for lunch. really good food, then went to the Ann of Green Gables park. we saw the house it was based on, and took the Haunted Woods trail, and even saw a really little squirrel, that didnt mind us taking photo's!!! so cute. then we went into the gift shops, TONS of stuff to buy for $$$$$. then we went to a beach nearby, and i saw the bright red cliffs and sand, awsome. the contrast between the GREEN grass, and the red was amazing. then we drove through Charlotte town so i cold have a look, and stopped for a break at the mall. it was raining by the time we got out, so i put my hood on. then, a truck drives past and the guy hangs out the window and whistles at me. i look of course, coz i didnt know what was going on, and he was looking straight at me stairing, for ages!!!! knida freaked me out a bit! but we just got in the car and laughed. then brit and i just tried sleeping on the way home, was a big day. we dropped her off, and headed home by 9, for a pizza dinner and tv vegg night. then i had more icecream cake, but with a small glass of maple syrup, mmm.

saturday30th septmber- had the bookstudy in the morning, then napped before lunch, then went to Hopewell Rocks. its like a big cliff on the river, and at low tide you can walk around at the bottom. really cool. i even stepped right int the mud, and got all messy!!
then went to Crookey Lookout, where there was one of the biker gangs hanging out. the view was pretty though. then, we got back in the car, were driving away talking, and i look down at my sleeve, and a HUMUNGOUS UGLY AS ANYTHING SPIDER WAS ON ME!!!!!!!! i just SCREAMED, and it scarred me so much i just burst into tears. the car stopped, obviously, and Sandy looked around and jumped out of the car, ran around to my door, and tried getting me out. i couldnt moove, or even undo my seatbelt or look to my right. Luckily Sandy isnt scarred of spiders at all, and wen she saw the look on my face, of shear horror, she un-buckled me, got me out, then got out the spider, who was now on the seat. she didnt kill it, but let it run away. i have NEVER been so scarred in my life. not even wen the possums screamed bushwalking. i rekon i would have wet my pants if i'd had to go. it was unreal how i reacted. it gave me an instant headache too, which i couldnt get rid of for the rest of the day. and i couldnt stop feeling things crawl over me, or bite me for the rest of the trip!! then we went to Cape Enrage, which is called that oz its so windy. the views were awsome, breathtaking. then we headed home, and i properly cleaned my feet from the mud, and we had shrimp, mussells adn a whole lobster each for dinner. it was SO GOOD, icouldnt finish it all though, coz i was feeling sick. .. probably from the whole spider thing still. but oh it was good, they have the best seafood here that ive ever tasted. app the colder water makes the diff. then we looked at their ozzy photo's, i tried to play Sandy's digereedo, and we watched a movie. i did my WT, and went to bed.

sunday 1st october- today we went to the meeting, i got their love, the Riverview cong, and the n we went to lunch at a homemade place, with grammy too (brian's mum). i had a beacon cheeseburger, it was special. then we came home, changed, and i had a piece of the pumpkin pie we bought on the way home, whith whipped cream on the top. it was SO GOOD. i can now say i've had reall pumpkin pie in canada!!! then i started my blog, then got ready for the visitors we had tonight. we had Paul and Pricilla, Nill's, Peter and Megan over for a hamburger/hotdog dinner. they are all young, Peter's 19 and the others are in their 20-30's. it was tons of fun. we played Cranium after dinner, girls against boys, and we won!!! not that it was abotu that, it was a really even game, which was cool. some of the charades ones were horrible, like pamela anderson!! but they were done really well!!!!!! then we talked, and Sandy sent everyone home by just after 9 i think, so that was nice. and ive been on here pretty much since then, talking to a couple of people too.

ok, im done now, its 1:00am, and we're going out in service tomoro.

love you all, ciao
(below is a longer version of some of the above) :p :P

Grenola bars. i didnt know what they were to start with, but basically oat bars with heaps of yummy stuff to!!! we put in cranberries, apricots, flaxseeds, honey, vanilla, nuts, oats, peanut butter, and other stuff i cant remember. they were SO GOOD. we did a double batch, to last a while, and ended up with about 7 meatloaf tins of it!! about 2cm's thick, and i think we got 4 per tin. great snacks for service, and they are super tasty, and stop the tim hortons cravings! at the same time as that, we were also making a curry for dinner. Tanys did most of the work ,but i helped a little. it was SO GOOD too, yum yum :P
after dinner i messed around with my email, and eventually found the website that had my visa application on it. so i printed it, and filled it out!!

Tuesday:
another big service day, we got about 6hrs in. we went with Ken & Paula and Kurt, which was fun. Paula and i met this really interesting woman, she wasnt canadian, but said with her accent that she would take the magazine (special issue), and call us if she wanted to convert to our church! it was really wierd. she wass nice enough though.
then at lunch we had the curry leftovers, mmm and our grenola bars!!! after lunch we went with Dera and Paula, doing some not at homes and stuff, then we went down to OK falls later on with just Dera til 5. when we got home i changed my flight to moncton, instead of montreal. basically it is now all fixed, but i messed myself up a bit, anyway. then i did my study for the meeting, had a nap, then dinner, then we went to the bookstudy. coz it was my last week, we went out to cue connection after, so picked up Janaye and met Adriel, Jason, Jeana, Dave, Sean and Robin there. once again it was tons of fun there. some of the guys were in crazy moods too, so that made it different!!

Wednesday:
i wasnt sure if i was going out in service today, so when i got up and decided to i had to rush around to get ready, anyway. i got to the group only a couple of minutes late after Terry dropped me off. we also picked up Dera. that morning i went out with Stacie, Dan & Tony, and the weather wasnt oo good, so we just did not at homes up on west bench, and a couple of calls. i had to go home and get my jumper though, coz it was cold! we did stop for the mornin drink though, and Tony got me a pumkin spice cap!! im so lucky. then we finfished at lunch,and terry came and got me. i just pottered at home till Tanys got home, organising stuff. Janaye and i were going out when she finished school, to go shopping for Tanys. i wanted to get her a little something for service, to helpe out a bit coz she's just started regular!! she got home just before Janaye picked me up, so we invited her, but thankfully she had stuff to do. so we went to a couple of places, and got a few things that looked awsome. then we found some surongs in a cute little store in the mall, and they were on sale, so we had to get one each!!! we found a cute little toy turttle too, which Janaye and i loved, so i we had to give in! he's gorgeous :) then adriel came and picked us up, and we went home for dinner, which Tanys had made again, but this time it was a beautiful lasagna thing. i called mum too, and organised a few things for staying. and i emailed my travel agent too, and a few other things. then we all played Balderdash, a game i find really hard, but fun. everyone has to make up a dffinition for a certain word, then you all guess which one is right, including the real one in the choices. after that we just all talked n stuff, then Adriel left and we took Janaye home. then Tanys and i did one of her cleaning jobs, and it only took an hr!! she's getting used to it, so its not taking near as long now.

Thursday:
Tanys worked again, so i slept in, til 11:45!!! i think thats the longest ive slept in for a while, if not ever! anyway, coz the morning was spent, i just took it slow getting ready, then did my meeting prep, Tanys got home, and we left for service. Robin, Jeana, Dave, Tara and Stanley al cmae out, so we pilled into Stanley's van and took off. we did rv's, and a couple of not at homes. Robin and i did two, but i got a really nice lady in one of them, andshe took the special mag, so i told Robin he had to go back, coz it was in his territory! we got back to the hall at 7:05, just in time for the meeting. i got some photo's of a couple of my new friends too, so will have to show you all when i get them on cd. when we got home we finally had dinner, and icecream cake to set it of!!

Friday:
Another service day, but only 5hrs. we left early so i could get my passport photo for my visa application, but the place awasnt open, so we just got some lunch then had a nap in the hall carpark till it was time for the group :p the four of us girls went together, Tara, Jean, and Tanys and i. (it would be ou last time in service together :(. ) we started in some apartments, and at one of my doors i got a wierd man, who gave me the funniest look when i was talikng to him. then , he asked me if i believed anything i just said, (the offer for the book about the promises for the future). it was strange, but then he got firing about what he beleived, basically that we are all predadtors, and every cell has a brain that tells it what to do. he was a scientist, obviously, but kept on going on and on, saying we needed an open mind, (although he wouldnt listen to anything we said), and that he was happy not knowing the answers to life, why we are here, how we got here to start with, even what the purpose of life is... he had us for at least 30mins, and although we both tried HEAPS, we couldnt get away any sooner. and we couldnt reason with him at all, although at one time i helped him see that he said something stupid, in a nice way, and he stopped for half a second and smiled. he wasnt grumpy, but wanted to "sit down for a coffee and talk for a few hours, then walk away happy." NO WAY were we goin to sit down with him, we'd NEVER get away!! Jeana and Tara were standing just around the corner, coz they didnt want to walk in front of us, so heard bits and peices too. when we did get away, we were both so exhausted and frustrated from the whole thing, that we had to go and have a drink somehwere. the only person i know that would have got anywhere with im was brother Ray Oldfield, i SO MUCH wished he was there!!
we went ot a cute place in town for a drink, for the "best hot chocolate aound" as the girls said. i was up for it, and boy, it WAS good. by the time that was finished, it was time to go back to the hall for the 12 group, so we did. Lisa (tanys step sister) came out with Tanys and i for a couple of hours, so that was nice. we did some of Tanys' territory N/H's down at OK falls. and i messed up, so Lisa and i did a house and lady i'd got home the week before, and she took the magazine again!!!!! really hilarious..

oops

2006-09-26T16:52:00.000-08:00

oopsy, ive not written for a while, im sorry. totally unintended.

well, there has been advancement since my last blog, deffinately. the day after i last blogged, sinday the 17th, was a cruzy, rest day. we went to the meeting and all, but in the arvo i just wrote a couple of letters, so someone will hear from me soon!!! i even watched TV that night, a first since ive been away, to watch tv, not a movie.

monday Terry took me down to the border, coz i wanted to be sure i couldnt stay somehow. as it turns out, i can, and have since sent off an application that should come through by october-nov, so i will change my flight to make sure im not coming home at the same time its coming thru. so, yes, im hopefully staying in canada for another yr after my holiday, sorry guys.
that arvo tanys and i made the most awsome grenola bars!! easy and fun.

ooh, im about to riun out of internet, goto go

love you all
me :)

photo's

2006-09-17T00:52:00.000-08:00

staten island sisters(clyburn jr's), laundry at bethel & brother n sister Clyburn :P

Fun in Penticton

2006-09-17T00:50:00.000-08:00

Hi all,
now before i forget, i HAVE to say hi to aunty Rebecca. im SO sorry for not replying to your comments, i am very slow at realising they are there, and then remembering at the right time to say hi, (usually i think of it when im in bed late that night!!). anyway, i agree that your dog catching a mouse is pretty grose, and i thought that was a cat thing anyway!! thanks heaps for talking to me as well :)

ok, last saturday arvo i did some washing, then Tanys and i picked up Janaye and Crystal, two young sisters in the congs, then went to Kelowna. It's about 30-45mins away i think, and a bit bigger town than Penticton. They have a place called Value Village, which is a huge second hand thrift type store, with clothes and a few kitchen and other bits and pieces. Everythig is REALLY cheap, coz its pre-loved, but most things are in really good condition, and are all clean. We ended up spending 2 1/2hrs in there trying on heaps of really hideous and then really cool clothes!!! To start with we were taking photo's all dressed up, so much embarassing fun, then one of the grumpy shop assistants told us off coz apparently your not allowed to take photo's. Anyway, we stopped taking them, but kept trying on!! We were planing to go horse riding on sunday too, and were going to get all dressed up, so we made sure we got outfits to look the part. By the time we walked out i had spent around $70, but had one pair of pants, one really nice blue sweater, three button up collered tops, an old leather purse, a huge pillar candle, a pack of over 10 assorted candles, a white peasant type top, three ties, a really cute suit jacket, and thats about it. Good value hey, i couldnt leave any of it there!! There was heaps more stuff i could have got too, but money is an issue as always, oops :P Then we went to Boston Pizza for a late dinner, we were almost falling over from hunger, coz it was now about 8:30pm! The pizza was VERY good though, well worth the wait. tanys and i shared a half half chicken pizza, with i cant remember what on it, but one side had ranch dressing, which made it SO GOOD. One thing i have fallen i love with, RANCH DRESSING!!!! And Tim Hortons! then we wen to Maccas on the way home, Janaye's brother is the manager, so we got free sunday's!! then we just went home and i did my wt for the next day. then, after we were all in bed, about 11, i har people walking around outside, with flashlights. feeling really creeped out i lay as stiff as a stick in bed,(i had the room right next to wear they we walking around looking). then, bang bang bang on the door!!Tanys got up and answered, and it was the police! the next door neighbour had called in saying they saw people snooping around in our shed n stuff, so two police came in separate cars to investigate. All of the cars except Tanys' had the keys in the ignition as well, and one of the trucks had a wallet on the front seat with money and all of Lisa'a cards in it. to top it off, the inside light was on in the truck, but nothing was taken at all!!! how unreal is that?? Anyway, we both took out the keys and locked the cars/trucks, thanked the officers, and went back to bed about 12.
The next day we got up at 7 to do our WT for that day, but we didnt allow enough time, coz it was the one with HEAPS of scriptures in it, and we looked them all up. We raced through the last couple of paragraphs to finish at 8:50, then RACED around to have showers, get ready, eat and leave by 9:30. Believe it or not, we made it. We picked up Janaye, and went to the 10:00 meeting so that we could go horse riding that arvo. Tanys and i went out in service at 12:30 for 45mins after the meeting, then raced home, got changed, picked up Janaye again, and met everyone at the Home Harware carpark at 1:45. Coz we were al dressed up like cowgirls, we had one of Tanys' songs, "I wanna Be A Cowboys Sweetheart" CRANKED UP as we were pulling in, and everyone just laughed and laughed when they heard it, and then saw us. I had my cowgirl bootes, with my jeans, front tied shirt and cowgirl hat on, and the girls had all but the bootes on. Then, we pig-taled our hair in two as well!!!! Then we grouped in cars and went up to Apex Mountain Guest Ranch for a ride. They even had cowboy boots for you to use if you didnt have any, so everyone looked the part which was nice. we split up into two groups, coz there were about 16 of us, and off we went. i was in the first group, which was nice. we went for an hour, just walking through the bus, which was really nice. i would have liked to do a bit of cantering or even trotting, but not everyone was good at riding, so we didnt. wen we got back, the other group went and Janaye Tanys and i played catch with baseball gear across the road in a park. it was fun until i caught my hand in the barb wire going through the fence! it only got me a little, so i washe it off in one of the troughs, coz there was no bathroom or anything. Then, coz it was after 3:30, close to 4, and we hadnt all had lunch yet, we went back into town to grab a bite while the other group was finishing. We went to a place called "Jose's Resturant & Cocktail Bar" in town, and i got a well earned burger. It had a cool ambience to the place, with some cool artwork, and a glass lift to get up to it!! finally the other group joined up with us when we had already finished eating, and were about to go. we quickly raced home to get changed, then went to Tim H's for the guys to get something, then went with Janaye, Tanys, Sean and Robin to the beach 10mins away to meet up with Tom and Terry on the boat. we were going to go wake boarding and swimming and stuff, but by the time we met up with T&T, they were heading back to the marina to go home, so we just caught a ride with them, and Curtis( Tanys' brother inlaw) took Sean's car back for us. It was super fun in the boat, no, not a sail boat dad, but a speed boat, so we went REALLY fast!!!!its a pretty blue colour as well :P when we got near the shore it was still enough for Sean to try wakeboarding. he hadnt done it before, and Tom wanted me to watch someone before i tried, so we sent him out first. it is REALLY hard the firsttime to get standing up, and it was getting dark, so he couldnt get the hang of it in time, and it got too dark for me to try :( it was fun tho, Janaye, Tanys Robin and i wereall up the very front of the boat!! then we went home to get changed, and went back to sean and robins for a bit, then went to the shops with crystal, then back to her app and played cards, which was really nice. she is SO SWEET. then we went home and to bed, late again.
monday we slept in, quite nice, then Tanys took me into town to a job agency to help me do a resume and find work. for those of you who dont know, i have been thinking seriously about not coming home yet, but extending my ticket for another 9months and living and working in Penticton. Not that i dont love you all, but i fit in really well here, and am enjoying my stay, and the cong so much i want to live here for a while. So, i went to an agency and got that done, then tanys picked me up and i dropped my CV in at a few places, chatted with some really nice employers, and went to find out about a working visa. i was told i would have to go to the US/canada border, and they could pretty much give me one either straight away, or within a few weeks. that was sweet, the borders only an hr or so away. so we planned to do that today, saturday. when we got home i called AUbrey for a bit, so that was nice, and then we went out to dinner with a really sweet couple of couple's from the cong to the Pasta Factory. REALLY awsome food, and they had a deal where you pick the pasta, and the sauce, and it was only $6, for a HUGE plate, and u got bread to start with to. very nice food, and the company was really awsome, a young couple, and a mature couple, and us two. when we got home i watched a little bit of a football game, very cool, then we went out again to R & S's with Janaye and Jason, and played a guitar game on the playstation or something, it was really fun. then we played more cards.

tuesday we went out in service for the morning and early arvo, and i met another really nice person who im calling back on next week. in the arvo, tanys and i did pilate's, and man was it hard for me. we did the abs and legs/but one, and i have NO balance or cor strength at all!! anyway, it was heaps of fun, and good for me :) that night was the bookstudy, so we didt do much other than that andlook on the net about work visa'a still.

wed morning i went in service again, with 3 REALLY sweet older sisters, who were SO MUCH fun. we had a ball. i met another nice person too, a man this time, who i will try next wek before i leave. ten i went to the mall that arvo, and dropped off my CV at a few places and looked around. i found a really cute poka dot dress for $15, so HAD to buy it!! then some brothers and sisters who were witnessing dropped me back home when they stopped for a coffey break, so sweet. that night we went to Janaye's with Levi (girl) and Adriel and watched "She's the Man" and played a really cool dance pad playstation type game. heaps of fun.
Thursday i slept in again, creekping out of bed at 10, and having breakfast around 12!! it was meant to be a wet day, so Tom and the boys and Crystal were doing some reno work on his house, instead of concreteing, so i talked with Crystal a bit. then the roof the guys were making higher fell down, almost taking them with it. it was a bit tense for a while then, but we were glad everyone was ok. then Crystal and i went to Kelowna to pick up her new retainer, and did some retail therapy too!! i got some black meeting shoes, (i have black cltohes but no shoes), a watch, and some singlet tops (i have lost some of mine??). it was a really nice arvo. then we raced back home, just in time for me to get changed and go to the meeting. we went to Boston pizza agian aftr the meeting, with a group of people, but we i got home i had some dinner, really late! i also wrote down the pro's and con's with staying in canada now, or coming back in a yr or so, which has helped me in my thinking.

yesterday we had a big day in service again, but i didnt meet anyone nice, oh well. i talked with a young sister who i would live with here, and got a few things sorted out that way. that night we had a couple of people over to watch a sign language video, and play Balderdash, so that was heaps of fun. it was a really quiet "party"!!!!

then today we went in service again, and had a rest this arvo. then tonight we had Jeana and Janaye over for a girls night, and watched 7 brides 4 7 brothers, and i had icecream cake for the first time!!!! we were going to go to the border, and get my visa, but a brother in the cong said you can only get a working visa in janurary, and have to be in your home country. his kids have both married people from NZ, which is app pretty much the same as oz. so, i will be coming home as planned, and proly coming back in a yr, 4 a yr.
ok, now its 1:45am, so i really have to get to bed.

love you heaps, not home sick yet!! hope you like my blog :P

Joses Big Canada USA Trip

2006-09-09T14:24:00.000-08:00

photo's??

ive tried to add photo's, but it didnt work, so if anyone has any ideas??

2006-09-09T13:18:00.000-08:00

Hi everybody,
Sorry im only just blogging now, i did one a few nights ago, but it didnt work, so im highly anoyed. Anyway, what can you do?? It's now 2:15 on saturday arvo, and i have a little spare time, so im talking to all of you!
Now, last week:
Spending the day in Fernie was just what the three of us needed. We had run out of gas early friday morning, 2:30am, so just parked at the servo till they opened at 6 so we would have enough to get us going. the sunrise was awsome that morning, i didnt get any photos, but i\ll attach one of the night before, which was pretty cool.
anyway, we had lunch with megan and allan, her hubbie of just over a month!!! at a cool place called "Rip & Richards Eatery," then went back to there place for a few hours, talking and putting our photos onto cd's. then we went and had an early dinner with Tanys' step dad, they have a really beautiful house, kindov in the but so it's nice and quiet, when the train doesnt go by at least. Then we hit the road again, on the home run!! We got to Penticton at around 3:00am, so hit the sack straight away till 7:30 when we got up to go to the book group. It was a small group, but really nice, and we didnt feel TOO tired so that was nice. Then we dropped off Amanda at her place, and went home to eat some more food. After a realy nice lunch, Tanys and i looked at some of our photo's, then went to bed at 3-10 that night!! that wasnt the plan, coz we were going to go play volleyball with some young ones, but anyway. We had some more food, looked at some more photo's, then got scared by HEAPS of spiders that were downstairs with the computer, so went to bed again at 12pm. The next morning was nice and relaxed. We got up around 8, then had a wonderful big breaky with Tom and Terry. We had a family study of the WT for that day as well, then went to the meeting at 1pm. Once again, it was a really nice meeting :) . After getting some washing done, we went to Wallmart! then to the beach to play volleyball and swim with the young ones. They were all gone, so we just went home and pottered. We went back later, for the same thing, and they had just left again, but luckily Adriel saw us and came back to let us know. We decided to have a bonfire on the beach, so went and picked up Janaye, then got some firewood and started making light. A few more guys came, Dave, Ja, Sean and Robin. It was a nice night, a couple of us went and got really yummy icecreams too.

Monday we had a sleepin, which was nice, then went to pick up Janaye for a walk. We went to The Giants Head with Sean, Ja, Adriel and Ja(tanys' 5 yr old niece). Then after a quick snack at Tim Horton's we went to the experimental gardens, which were really pretty. We saw a couple of snake's, which made one of the guys freek out!! He's no Steve Irwin!! that night wewent to Cue Connection, a pool place, for a couple of games, then had dinner at the Brley Mill next door, then went to a couple of the guys place just to chill. there are heaps of young witnesses in the one apartment biulding, so we visited a couple as well. They have 3 really cute little kittens, adorable!!

Tuesday we had a huge day in service, over 5hrs all up. It was really nice, i even called on a young girl who didnt have time to talk, so asked me to come back!!! we had the bookstudy that night, where i got a new blood card for the rest of my time in canada!! When i got home is when i blogged for everyone, but it didnt work :( .

Wedesday Tanys worked all day, so i took the morning a little easier, then went shopping downtown and at the mall for some new meeting/witnessing clothes. i got a new skirt and top, so was happy with that. We went to Janye's place for a little while, then back to Cue Connection for the night, after the other congs meeting had finished. it was a REALLY fun night.

Tanys worked again on thursday, but i went out in service with Terry (her step mum) on a study. My second study since i've been away!! that arvo i just did my meeting prep, then had a rest. When tanys got home we went and got another oil change, then went out in service before the meeting. then we had the TMS and Service meeting, then went to Boston Pizza for a drink and some food. another night of heaps of fun :0)

Friday we had an ENORMOUS day of service, 7hrs, and i got my girl home from early in the week. i read her a scripture, then gave her the mags on blood, coz her mum is a doctor. she's in gr 10, and really nice, so hopefully i will be able to call back and cultivate a bigger interest in the next couple of weeks. after service a played with 5yr old Ja for a while, we both had HEAPS of fun running around outside and being kids!! then after dinner Tanys and i went to Robin and Seans place (two brothers) after visiting krystal again. we played nintendo games and kareokee till 11pm, with a few other young people, then went home.

Today we went out in service again, i just went for the morning tho. and now you know what im doing!! All up i've got over 16hrs of service this week!!! im SO excited, i think i need to pt in a form for auxillary pioneering for next month at this rate!

ok, gota go now, but talk to u soon,

ME :P

Joses Big Canada USA Trip

2006-09-05T21:50:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone, i just found my blog from when i just got back from the road trip, thought u might want to read what happned again!!

Penticton!!

howdy all, just a quick line to say we survived the long drive back to Penticon!
we arrived at 3am on saturday morning, bright n early!! got 3 1/2 hrs sleep, then went to the bookstudy at 10 later on!!!! then we went home and aftr lunch, looking at some of our photo's n stuff we hit the sack at 3pm, and didnt budge till 10!! we were going to join in on a game of volleyball that arvo, but kindov slept thru! then we had diner, and went back to bed till about 8 the next morning. then we went to the meeting at 1, after a beaut of a big breaky. that night we had a bonfire on the beach with a few young people, which was nice. one of the guys looked EXACTLY like a guy i went to school with, it was scary.
yesterday we wnt on a small hike up Giants head, sweet views from the top. we also went to a cool experimental garden. then we played pool at cue connection i think, had dinner, and went to the place of a couple of the guys and played checkers!!
today Tanys and i went out in service for about 5hrs, so that was fun. then tomight we had our bookstudy. and now im talking to you all!!
hope everyone is well.

ive been away for a month already, can u belieeve it, it feels like a week to me.(guess im not homesick yet!!)
goto go, luv u all
me :p

Joses Big Canada USA Trip

2006-09-01T15:26:00.000-08:00

Joses Big Canada USA Trip

ok, i know i am extremely bad and haven't blogged for ages, but hey, i've been on the road, practically straight, for 2 weeks.

where do i start now....
after we left Fernie (where i last blogged from) we drove across a little of canada. we went to a really beautifull old castle, waterton castle in alberta.

then we went acrosst the usa/canada border. that was a hastle. at the airport coming into canada, the people took out a green card that i needed to get into the states. so the really scary border gaurds held me up for at least 15 mins, asking all sorts of scary questions, drilling me almost. the lady was the worst. at first it was a man outside, then he sent me inside to deal with the SCARY lady. in the end i had to pay a fee, then she gave me another green card, and strictly told me not to take it out till i leave the states in october.

anyway, then we drove to billings, but didint get there till 2 or 3 the next morning, so we slept in the car in a hospital carpark!!! then we got up super early the next morning, and drove to madison, just out of Chicago. we didnt get there til 11:30 that night, but found a Super 8 motel for the night. for the day, we went thru montana, north dakota, and minnesota. it was so neat!! we stopped and looked at a HUGE holstein statue cow, named Salem Sue, saw a huge statue of a buffalo. we also drove past elk, and 5 skunks, stinky!!

then saturday we drove thru the edge of chicago, but it was really foggy, so i only took like one or two foto's. but we did stop at MacDonalds for breakfast. i had a McGrittle, and it was to die for., basically a oancake in the shape and size of a mcmuffin. mmmm

that night we made it to Toronto bethel. we first met everyone at one of the guys rooms, thenwent to a salsa party. it ended up being a dud, the music wasnt my type, and the type of party i didnt feel comfy in, so we went outside and did our wt for the next day. that made the night, it was REALLY good to do the wt with tanys and amanda :)

the next day we slept in, then went to a toronto meeting at 1. it was really neat, the bro giving the talk did an awsome job. then we went to Niagara falls that night with some people from the night before. it was SO beautiful, and the town was like a mini las vegas. it was totaly not wat i was expecting, there were people everywhere, and fancy cars doing blokies, and all types of fun flashinf lights and stuff with the shops. really neat.

the next day us girls went witnessing for an hr in the morning. i didnt meet anyone, but a couple of the girls had really nice talks.

then tanys, amanda, nicki and i all went back to niagara to do the Maid of the Mist boat ride. it was so cool. then we went to the coca-cola and hershey's stores and indulged a little!!

the next day we drove thru ny satate to ny city. the drive was really pretty. there were beautiful trees everywhere. we hit ny about 8pm, and i navigated us to the ferry terminal for staten island., then we were to9ld we couldnt take the car on the ferry, so had to find our way to the brooklyn bridge!!! we saw the bethel biuldings loud and clear coming over!!!! meeting sister Clyburn so so sweet. she's beautiful. andthe house is totaly neat, three stories, and we had the whole top level to ourselves!!

the next day, wednesday, we hit ny. we met up with 5 brothers form upper BC, and did the statue of liberty and Ellis island with them. then we went to grand central station, the NY public library!!(the day after tomoro), and times square. we got tickets to a broadway show, then had dinner at TGI Friday's. then we went to the show, but had to walk out because it was not good. thankfully the guysa came out too, so we weren't allown in ny at night. we had a coffey, then said goodby to the guys and slowly walked back to the ferry and went home. i got a i love ny t-shirt too!!

on thursday we went to brooklyn bethel!!! for the tours. in brooklyn hights, where bethel is, the brothers take care of the streets, so everything was super clean, a HUGE difference from the rest of ny. the tours were awsome. we did the office biuldings, and the towers biulding. the sister who took us on one of the tours saw the twin towers get hit and fall as well, so that was interesting to heasr what she said. that night we went to a meeting on staten island. almost EVERYONE came up ands said hi to us afterwards. it was SO NICE. the best cong ive been to, no offence to anyone, but it was the most welcoming ive experienced ever. wen i go back i will have such a neat time, some of the sisters are already planning what to do with me!!

friday we drove to montreal, but did patterson bethel on the way. that oo was cool. we stayed with a really sweet sister in motreal.

satuday we went into town and looked at the festival that was on, really cool. we also went into a cute thrift type shop and tried on heaps of old "fashionable" clothes :p !!

sunday we went to a french meeting for tanys, so cool. it was the CO's visit as well. i got tiny bits out of it, but tanys translasted the main ideas as well. then we got our satuff and hit the road again for toronto bethel again.

we got there late that night, and even got to stay there. one of the brothers we met the firsst time (matt) was really sweet, so got us a couiple of rooms!!

morning worship the next day was really cool. then matt took us on a tour, and i got a couple of peices of swahili literature!! i will have to post them when i get to penticton. and family study that night was cool too.

tuesday we went out in service for an hour with a really sweet couple, then went into the city that night for a little bit and went up the CN tower. it is the tallest biulding in the world i think!! really pretty to c toronto at night.

wednesday we had morning worship with all the usa canada bethels, and some of the governing body gave parts too!! so privelidged. then we had alook at the mechanic shop, coz we met a sweet sister froim there, and she gave us a tour. we even gotto sit in a brand new truck bethel has. it was really cool :p then we started heading back to penticton.
we went thru canada this time, and have just this arvo got to fernie. two nights ago we saw a moose (at least 9 feet tall)!! a wolf, cyotee and deer. it was sweet!! and we have had PLENTY of skunks :( if you look on a canada map, we have gone from toronto to fernie now, thru places like sudbury, blind river, Sault Ste Marie, wawa, white river(where winnie the pooh comes from!!), thunder bay, winnipeg, the prairies, Regina, moose jaw, swift current, maple creek, Alberta, and now in fernie. tonight we're going all the way back to penticton. about another 7hrs drive.

ok, now im completely exhausted of riting, and its past time to meet tanys mum for dinner.

love you all, thanks for the couple of emails

talk soon
:) :0)

Road Trip!!!!!!

2006-08-17T11:24:00.000-08:00

Joses Big Canada USA Trip

Hi everyone, just dropping a quick line before we get too far away on our road trip.
saturday arvo, we went to Butchart gardens, which were amazing, and they have fireworks every saturday night too, they were sweet. went for arounf 30mins, and had all different pictures and stuff from the fireworks, like smilie faces, a big sea snake, a windmill and other cool stuff. we didnt end up getting to bed REALLY late that night though, but that was ok i guess. that was the last time i saw Savanah as well.

sunday, we went to the meeting in the morning, SUPER tired, but that was our own fault. then rob and aubrey took me up to mount Douglas or "Doug". we could see a really sweet view o Victoria, and i took heaps of photos. then, rob had a study in the arvo, so aubrey n i just hasd lunch in the beautiful sun, under the fruit trees!!! then we had a look around a REALLY ritzy part of victoria, and went to a bookstudy get-together-do thing. it was really nice. i picked blackberries with the kids even!!

monday i organised a few things, my cell for a start, then se\aid goodbye to R&A, and came to vancouver by ferrie. then i caught an number of busses and sky trains to Langley, and tera, Tanys' sister, picked me up. we went back to her place in the country, so beautiful. they had a fam dinner at her in-laws across the lawn, so i got to meet most of her hubbie, Jordans fam. a bro & sis from Staten Island were there too, and guess what, they know you mum, ruthie, granny and pop, from when you were there!!! and apparently granny's fam donated the land for a kingdom hall on staten island!!! they know bro Rogers, and the other people i hope to stay with!!!

Tuesday i got a ride into town with Stephanie, jordans soon to be sister in-law, so that saved a lot of time and money. then i went straight to Grouse Mountain. ***My favorite place in the world.*** i caught a sky rail up to the top!!! then watched a documentary about a couple of orphan bears, who now live on the mt. then i went and saw them, at the most 3m away!! one black coastal bear, and one brown inland bear. they were so sweet. i then walked the rest of the way up to the top of Grouse mt, about 2k's maybe, but VERY steep. the views were extatic.
after that i went to Gastown, and cute area in Vancouver, then Chinatown, and the Dr Sun-Yat Sen chinese Gardens. then i walked ALL the way to Stanley park, one end of Vancouver to the other. i ran parts too!!! the aquarium is in the park, and wen i eventually found it was awed at how awsome it was. my fav were the Otters, my new fav animal. there were 3, and one was cleaning itself for AGES, but showing off as well!!
that night i just went home and had dinner at the in-laws place again, organised my bus to Penticton, and eventually went to bed.
wednesday, yesterday, i went to the house and barn where they film smallville!!! are you jealous Kez??? it was SO cool, just 10mins from Tera's place. and they also film Stargate close by, Bel Kate!!!, but arent' filming at the moment, so i didn't go see that. then i caught the bus, after a huge caffufle with my pre-booked ticket. i had to pay full price in the end, instead of the 14 day advanced, half price ticket i thought i had. anyway, it was a cumfy ride to Penticton, nad pretty too. i arrived at 4:45, got picked up by tanys, then we went and got her a new digi cam, hers broke a few weeks ago. we also got a new windshield wiper blade, but forgot to put it on the car!!! then we went home, prepared out tuesday stuff and went to the meeting. wen we left we went to Wendy's for dinner, it's SO cute there, and they havce REALLY good salads. then we went home, packed our bags for the road trip, and went to a cleaning job of Tanys'. it was a architect place, and took about 1.2hrs, instead of 2 usually. but wen i was emptying one of the bins, a huge mouse jumped out and scared the living daylights out of us!!! anyway, by the time we finished it was 2:30am, so we went home, had showers and went to get gas and Amanda, the third party for the road trip. we hit the road about 3:30, and drove til 11:00 this morning. yes, thats right, we didn't get ANY sleep last night, and have had hardly any in the car on the way. we're now in Fernie, so cute, while Tanys is getting her braces adjusted. oh yeah, she has braces at the mo. i went and saw Megan at work, and she was SO excited to see me!! im now at her place emailing you guys, so think i have to go now.

lots of love, am having a blast of a time, come across 4 skunks, 3 deer and squirrels on the road today, and the car stinks of skunks!!!

love you all, going to drive through the states to get to torronto, then also going to Montreal and New York!!

ciao bellos and beaus

jojo

Joses Big Canada USA Trip

2006-08-12T15:22:00.000-08:00

Joses Big Canada USA Trip

hi all, sorry i haven't told you anything for a while, but have been busy having heaps of fun. i did email mum with something i wanted blogged, but it doesn't look like she has done it yet.

anyway, wat hav i been doing???? well, to start with i have to corect myself, it was the Sooke potholes, not pots that i went to on monday.

ok, tuesday we were meant to go on a study of Aubrey's but the lady cancelled, so we slept in. in the arvo we went to Esquimalt Lagoon, which is really pretty, of course. i saw my first white swans. there is a castle behind the lagoon, hatley castle. that is where they filmed the xmen movie, which was pretty cool. it is now a university, called UVIC, uni of victoria. i also saw my first canadian geese in the groiunds there!!!! and they are way smaller than i thought they would be, but still cool to see what bro edmund is always talking about! then, driving out i saw a squirel running across the road. an afternoon full of animals :p we also went to the Royal Bay Bakery, and got one each of Aubreys favorite donuts. they were really good, i can see why she loves them.
then we picked up Rob from work, went home to get changed, and went to a brothers place for Rob to get a haircut. he was really nice, but his flat was TOTALY fitted out in a girly way. like, antique gorgeous, i dont really know how to describe it. anyway, then we were going to watch a movie on the waterfront of victoria, but it was too cloudy, so they didnt show it. we just walked a little along tho, which was cool.

wednesday i went into town to look around. caught a bus in, it costt a tooney ($2) each way, which was good. it was even a double decker bus, but for somew reason everyone was downstairs, and i didnt think to go up. i got into town, walked down Douglas st, and basically stopped when i found something interesting. i found a really trippy bead shop, so went in and made a necklace, wich i LOVE. then i had lunch with Aubrey, she was working for the day, then kept looking around. the sky was blue, the birds were chirping, a gorgeous day. i went down Boston square, a cute little street festival!! they had jewellery, paintings, glasses, bags, photos and that type of thing.
after that i saw my first hotdog stand!! and heaps upon heaps of souvenier shops, which ALL had exactly the same stuff.
i also went into miniature world. they had all types of little models or towns of canada, then things like the swisse family robinson tree house n stuff. i was going to go to the Royal BC museum, but didnt have enough time, so just walked along the waterfront. there was a street performer that i stayed and watched for about 3o mins, a bit corny, but ok, it was in the beautiful sunshine anyway. i also went in to the empress hotel, REALLY beautiful and expense.
then just looked in some shops, incl Levi and Guess!! and bought a cute pleather bag.
that night we didnt do much, just watched a movie.

thursday Aubrey and i had a study, which was really good, then went home and watched pride and prejudice for the rest of the day. then the meeting, like our tuesday one, and went home and watched more of P&P!!

friday we went to Botany beach, a rock beach about 2hrs away. we spent the afternoon there, and i picked up heaps of crabs!!! they were SO cute.
we then went to a pub/resturant for dinner, and i had a REALLY good burger and chips.

today, we had the bookstudy this morning, then witnessing, now im in town. i went to the RBC museum, which was cool, and had a game bobsled ride!!!
gotu go now, or i'll miss my bus. going to Bouchard gardens tonight for the fireworks, then leaving sometime tomorow.

love you all

jojo :)

hi again

2006-08-08T13:23:00.000-08:00

Joses Big Canada USA Trip

Hi all, sorry about the confussion with my blog page, i have NO idea what is going on, i have only just now seen that my blog page is APPARENTLY not good enough. now I have to figure out how to use this one, so you wont get as many entries, or hear from me as much now.

i have just signed up for a sim card, so my new number is 250 588 6019. i dont know what other numbers you have to put up in front, but the 250 is the area code, and the 588 6019 is my cell no. its with "Rodgers" if that means anything to yall.
i have a one week pass to a library near Aubrey's place, which has FREE internet, so thats why i can blog so quick again.
hope to hear from any of you,

love n hugs
jose :p

The Change

2006-08-08T00:42:00.000-08:00

Slight change of plans in this. The Windows one wasn't doing it for us, here's a new one, hope it works.

Big Ev
The Tech Guy