Hay bale tag and a skunk: Calgary

We arrived in Calgary last Wednesday afternoon and Wayne met us at the airport. Luckily he had the week off work, so we didn't have to wait at the airport all afternoon. When we got to their house we helped out with digging potatoes and Brandon helped with some carpentry stuff.

There was sushine!

On Thursday and Friday we didn't do too much, mostly just got settled. We had a look at a couple of cars on Friday afternoon. One was not at the lot when we got there, so the owner got his brother to drive us to where it was. It was the most terrifying driving I have ever been in the car to experience. We were in a little VW bug and he was weaving through traffic, changing into spaces that it only just fit into. He got a call on our way back to say a customer had stolen a car...

On Saturday we drove some friends of our hosts into the airport in their car and then went and bought our car (from the other sales place, not the crazy driving one). Since we bought it in Alberta and are going to work in BC, we tried to find a way around so we didn't have to fully register it here and then re-register it in BC. Unfortunately, there isn't a way, unless you are Canadian. So we will have to re-register it when we get to BC. 

On Sunday afternoon the kids and I walked down the road at bit to play "hay bale tag". Which is just tag on hay bales, which is more difficult when you're 10 years older and not used to 1,000m altitude. Brandon drove down after he was finished helping Wayne with some more carpentry work (poor Brandon haha) and joined in for a bit. I fell trying to leap between hay bales and got sticks in my face and up my nose, no blood though. Eventually we got in the car and went back to the house. As we turned into the driveway, a skunk ran across the path. One of the kids had just finished saying "I hope the dog doesn't see it...", when Houston came barrelling across the yard towards it. We all in unison yelled "NOOOO!! HOUSTON NOOO!", and I wound the window of the car up. We were all still yelling as we watched Houston charge, and the skunk lifted its tail and sprayed him right in the face. 

We got out of the car, and the first thought was that it didn't smell that bad. Then the cloud hit us. Even though it had been a good 10-15m away, it was like we were sitting right in it. The best way I can describe it is like burning plastic, rubber and metal all mixed together. It seeped through the closed windows and we spent the rest of the night smelling it. I'm sure I could even still faintly smell it when we woke up this morning. 

Hay bale tag

So we are leaving for Fernie on Friday, we have a huge list of things to do before then. Including getting the car checked because the engine light came on when I was driving it home :/

The calm before the skunk storm