Welcome to the September 2011 edition of UK Bound.

Hiya all!

It's been less than a month since we've got back home from Canada. It is so weird to be back in Bournemouth, as it also felt like home when I was in Canada. Even Calgary (which I totally avoid) seemed somewhat familiar.

First of all, thanks to all for letting us crash at your place for free - when you come over, we'll put up the bunkbeds, and you can stay here. Thanks to Dennis for driving us to Kamloops.

I've posted over 100 pics on Facebook from the trip. When I get a chance, I'll post them all on my website for those of you that don't use FB. If you have any good pics of our trip, please send them over, as I'd like to see (and post if that's ok) them as well. I tried to take pics, without being a total shutterbug.

I've attached 6 pictures from our trip. They are:

We spent the day at Grouse and Capilano. At Grouse they still have snow, but not enough to ski on (although they do for the way I ski!). At Grouse they also have a couple resident grizzley bears and white wolves at the bottom of the hill. I took a couple pics of one of the bears, but wasn't quick enough for the wolves. Shame. For the grizzley pic, you'll have to wait until I get it up on my webpage. That day we also went to Capilano suspension bridge. They have added (ok, I'm sure years ago) a glass cliff walk which was really cool as well. At Cap, we also saw an owl - it was a huge grey owl - not sure what kind, just that it was grey and an owl.

omg - where do we start with the PNE? (Well, PlayLand cause only the rides were open). Seth went on every ride he could - there was only one ride that he wasn't tall enough for, so next time, we'll go on it too. We did the wooden rollercoaster about 10 times. I really have to give the ol'wooden coaster credit - it's 50+ years old, and it's a great ride - you come out of your seat on most of the dips. We went on the corkscrew about a dozen time. We'd have done it more, but the harness was hard on Seth's neck when the coaster did the hard banking. We even went on Revelation, and The Drop Zone. The Revelation is basically a 300+ foot propeller, where as you go around and around, your cockpit also spins when you get to the top of the arc. Then just when you're ready for it to stop, it goes backwards. The Drop Zone is basically a big swing, where you first freefall over over 100feet, and then start swinging. This one was a great ride, but I said a naughty word when Seth pulled the cord. I'd totally recommend it, but just be prepared - it doesn't look half as bad from the ground as it is when your strapped in. The other noteworthy ride we did was Atmosfear - it's basically a normal swing ride, but then it starts to rise and pick up speed. At the top, you're over 200 feet high, and going 70km/h. This picture has three of the above - the Revelation, Drop Zone and the Corkscrew.

At MacPark, they've created a really good skate park (DON'T CALL IT A SKATEBOARD PARK, cause that means that you can only skateboard there... Seth kept reminding me of this). Amanda said that she knew the designer of the park, so that was really cool. Shame Amanda didn't ride a deck at the park to show off, as she said she couldn't in her skirt (cough cough). At the start, Seth started on the little ramps (cause that's all we'd let him) but on his second visit, he was going down the tallest of the ramps. Cautious at first, but within a couple times, he was trying to get as much air as he could. Not sure if his love of his scooter will turn into a skateboard, rollerblades, bike, ... for now, he's getting quite good at it. We need to find a skate park in Bournemouth.

In Revelstoke, we went to the local swimming pool - inside the pool they have a decent waterslide (which is where I broke my toe). On our way to the pool, we stopped and admired the Columbia River. All of the rivers in BC are quite high, despite it being August. At this time of year, normally this bit of the river is just gravel, with only the main river flowing. We also went past the dam - behind it sits a beautiful lake with only a handful of people on it.

Here is Seth and Ringo. Ringo's an old dog that likes to be raked. He's an adventerous spirited dog who's done mountain rescue trips with his owner. Seth is wearing his Meerkat shirt, with his trampolining badges. We're going to have to get him a bigger shirt, as he's running out of room.

On our trip, we flew into Vancouver, and flew out from Calgary. On our way to Calgary, we stopped at Lake Louise for a couple pics. You can see the aqua-colour of this lake - normally the water is much less cloudy. I'd presume that would be because of the late runoff and extra rain this year. This isn't too bad of a pic, considering it's a camera phone - the phone automatically joins the pics together. Scroll to the right to see the entire picture.

We're going to disconnect our landline next week, so those of you that have our phone number as 522-775, it'll soon be gone. "Why?" you ask... simplekisk - we get our phone and broadband together. On some days the "broadband" is slower than dialup - honest - I've recorded 0.03meg once and 0.07meg a couple times. The best I've ever seen is 1.8meg, and we're promised 3meg, which isn't great in today's terms either. So, we're switching companies and going for 30meg for less, but that means we lose the phone. Kim and I both have mobiles which we never use all our minutes, so that's what we'll be switching to. If you don't have our mobile numbers, please let me know. I'm not going to post them globally, as this message goes onto the web and FaceBook.

Now that we're back to reality, my work has allowed me to catchup on all the work I've missed, including over 4500 emails, numerous reports, and a few releases - all needing only my special attention. On the homefront, I've been attacking the brambles in our front yard. I filled a bin and easily could have filled another. That struggle continues. Another full day and I should be victorious. It's a shame, because the previous owner could have done it years ago when the front yard wasn't a mess, and spared me the headache.

Seth has started year 4, and has already earned an award for being top student in his class - not bad for only being back to school for 4 days. He's in the top section for Maths (as if there was any doubt) and top sections in other subjects.

And a message from Kim:
Everything went well while Brian and Seth were away. I rambled down by the river with Bullet and Trigger where we met 'The Swans', a very socially upwards family who think they own the WHOLE beach. I got a few dinner invites with friends who know how to cook and so I felt very lucky and taken care of. One of them has managed to grow her own patio potted plant vegetable garden which is quite an accomplishment for an English summer. Amazing beetroot! And she even made her own pickles. My pal Nicky took me out to her local social club (like the legion but more family oriented). There was an old Ska band playing. Everyone was jumping about like it was 1982 and all dressed for the part in work boots and shoulder braces and doing 'the dance'. It was very fun, and a very friendly place as everyone knows each other. Not very recently, I went to pub called The 5 Ways to see another band called 'Lady Winwoods Maggot'. This band is a local legend and despite the name, really good. The lead singer has an eye patch and sings like a pirate...but in a good way. All life here revolves around the local pub....nearby favorites are "The Horse & Jockey", "The Broadway" and "The Cat & Fiddle". Then there's "The Dorset Knob" a favorite of residents of a very tough council estate on the border of Bourneouth and Poole. Tatooed baldy patrons with pitbulls hang around outside swearing, smoking and swilling pints...and those are just the women folk. The house is still standing, the weather is still rubbish (summer ended two months ago) and infamous gypsy family in Kinson still keep a pony in the living room (I've seen it inside!) ***several day later*** update on the gypsy family....I drove by 'the house' on my way home from work and there were many police and even more gyspies standing around...the horse was nowhere to be seen... ****a few more days later*** I got stuck in traffic as I waited for the gypsy men to move thier TWO horses and wagon out of the way, the brown and white one got spooked and reared up on its back legs like black beauty... I laughed as its not a very big horse, and fat around the middle...gypsy men love thier horses and have no respect for thier women. They were not impressed that I was laughing.

For my website, I'm working on picture from The Bournemouth Airshow, and then I'll work on our Canada trip.

All the best.
Hope to talk to you soon.
B,K,S,B,T.