As expected, Greg and I spent the first full week of November in Calgary finalizing our new home and Ben's new school. Lots of other odds and ends were accomplished as well. Here's the details...
On November 4th, Maw Maw and Paw Paw graciously arrived at the house for a week of babysitting while Greg and I headed to O'Hare for our 3:30 p.m. flight to Calgary. Daylight savings time had just kicked in, so by the time we landed in Calgary (about 6:30 p.m. Calgary time), it was already dark. We checked in to our hotel and Greg's "home-away-from-home" these days, the Blackfoot Inn. Lunch had been a long time ago, and it was time to grab some dinner. The night was clear, so we decided to start things off in a very tourist kind of way...dinner at Sky 360, located at the top of one of Calgary's main attractions, the Calgary Tower. The Calgary Tower is home to the highest 360 degree observation deck in the world, and Sky 360 is actually a revolving restaurant that gives you a complete view of the skyline every 45 minutes or so. These pictures don't do it justice; we had a really gorgeous view! The only downside was that having been in the city for about an hour and it being dark, we didn't really know what we were looking at. But alas, it was still a very fun experience and the food was fabulous. Can't wait to go back in the daytime with the kids!
Woke up on November 5th to start what would be a very busy day. From the hotel, we had a view of the downtown skyline (and morning rush hour traffic). At 9 a.m., we met with the principal and staff from Collingwood School in the northwest. Quick lesson...Calgary is divided into four main quadrants (northwest, northeast, southwest, southeast) and laid out in a grid system. Streets run from north to south, while avenues run east to west. We had heard that the northwest and southwest areas were the desirable neighborhoods to reside in, as they are less industrial and can provide a beautiful view of the Rockies on clear days. We narrowed down our school search by choosing only schools that were in the NW or SW and also had a Spanish bilingual program for Ben (to continue on from the dual language program he is currently in and loving!). That left us with Collingwood School in the NW and Westgate School in the SW. So, back to Monday morning, we had a great meeting at Collingwood and felt very comfortable about sending Ben there. Now we just had to find a house...
We met our relocation consultant, Adrienne, at the school and drove to our NW housing option. We will call this Option #1. Because this was the only rental house available in the NW at the time, it would ultimately determine whether or not Ben would attend Collingwood. The outside of the home was cute, and the main level had been renovated with a beautiful kitchen and nice bathrooms. And then...ugh. The downstairs level was not good. A cat had clearly been able to make use of the carpet as her litter box, and the play area for the kids was dirty, musty, and notice the exposed ceiling. Bummer. Clearly, this would not be an option.
From there, Greg and I drove by the other two housing options in the SW to see them in the daylight, as our visits were not until evening. We then drove to Westgate School for our 1 p.m. meeting. We enjoyed our visit, and this school also seemed to be a great fit for Ben. Now let's cross our fingers that we have a realistic housing option. (PS, it seemed so odd to see the Canadian flag flying in front of the school. We are so used to the good ole Stars and Stripes, huh?)
We stayed in the SW area for a late lunch and to explore a bit before our 6 p.m. Option #2 house visit. We walked around a Safeway grocery store (same company as our local Dominicks stores back in Chicago), and we found many items to be similar to what we find in the States. However, prices were a bit higher, except for dairy and poultry, which were much higher. A gallon of milk...$4.99. One pound of chicken breasts...$15.99. Yes, I just said $16 for four chicken breasts. Yikes!! Apparently Calgary could be harmful for our waistline...lots of hot cocoa to stay warm and lots of beef because it's all we can afford! :) Nearby, we cruised around Walmart for a while, then stopped by Starbucks for a little break.
At 6 p.m., we explored Option #2. The main level was nice and modern, with bold colors on the walls and an open floor plan that would let me keep an eye on the kiddos playing while making dinner. Fantastic fireplace too. Upstairs are the three bedrooms and a gorgeous bath for the kids...they'll feel like they're swimming! The house has a basement with lots of room for playing and storage. The landlords were a couple about our age with a 3 year old little girl just a few months older than Nathalie. The wife had gone to optometry school in Chicago...what are the odds? Very nice couple, and we seemed to hit it off really well. Yay for Option #2!! (Whew...I was a bit worried after Option #1.)
We drove from there to Option #3 at 7 p.m. This house was close to the school, probably within walking distance, which I liked. However, the main level was a bit dated...check out that blue carpet. But, exactly the opposite of Option #1, the downstairs level was great!! New carpet, fresh paint, tons of space! This would have been a really nice option had the upstairs matched the downstairs. Another bummer.
So, as if you need a drumroll, we chose to make an offer on Option #2. We enjoyed a very late dinner at Red Water Grill in Aspen Landing, a cute little boutique shopping center. Then bedtime...it had been a LONG day.
Tuesday, November 6th, was Election Day in the States. As everyone waited and watched in the US, we were waiting and watching and praying to hear back from Denis (Option #2 landlord). By mid-morning, our offer was accepted and we officially had a Canadian address!! Ahhhh, the relief! Adrienne drove to the hotel to pick us up and take us to Greg's office to finalize some paperwork. Wow, what a difference from the 77th floor of the Aon Center in Chicago! Modest office, and check out that view of the shredder! :) It's no Lake Michigan, but looks like it could be a muddy lake itself once there is a big snow that melts. Ha! In all seriousness, now that a month or so has passed, Greg really is loving his new job and settling in as best he can with the traveling back and forth. He is learning so much, and his team was really gracious to let me have him most of the week for moving details.
After the paperwork was finalized, Adrienne offered to drive us around the southwest to get a feel for where we will be living. We stopped by Canada Olympic Park, home of the 1988 Olympic Winter Games, famous for the Jamaican bobsled team. They were already making their own snow for skiing, snowboarding, etc. We grabbed some info on the skiing lessons...pictures of Stephanie falling down on the bunny hill to follow in January or February. :) Edworthy Park looks like a beautiful park near our home for some hiking, biking, and running. Marda Loop is a quaint shopping district that hosts a Marda Gras street festival in August. And, Uptown 17 is a strip of retail shops, galleries, and restaurants along 17th Avenue SW. Looks like we picked a great spot, and it's not too far from downtown!
That evening, we went to Ox & Angela for some tapas to celebrate our new home! Too funny because we walked in the door on the right and were told we needed to enter the other door because there was a private party that night. The room was decorated with American flags and lots of well-dressed men and women were walking around in suits and dresses. An election party of some kind perhaps?? Anyways, we cheerfully went to the appropriate side of the restaurant and proceeded to have one of the best meals I have ever eaten. We splurged on the 9 course chef's menu, and it was well worth it. The only downside was that we were so full, there was no room for dessert. No worries, now we have an excuse to go back! :) A definite recommendation when you all come to visit! And, we did ask our waitress what exactly was going on next door...it was the American Consulate having an election party in Canada at a Spanish restaurant. Love it.
Adrienne picked us up bright and early on Wednesday the 7th for more "getting settled" errands. Greg needed a Social Insurance Number, which is similar to our Social Security Number. Then to register Greg for the Alberta Health Care Card. (The kids and I will not be eligible until we have our visa permits.) Then to Royal Bank of Canada to set up bank accounts. Lastly, to famous chocolatier Bernard Callebaut for some souvenirs. Check out the chocolate cowboy hat...love it!! I have a feeling the kids will too. :) Back to the hotel for a quick lunch and to grab Greg's new wheels, the Ford F150, and drive to Kingsland Centre to register Ben for school. All foreigners must register at Kingsland, along with the selected school. Grabbed some dinner and back to the hotel for bed. We were exhausted!!! And, the weather is getting colder...-2 degrees Celsius.
Woke up Thursday morning to SNOW! I appreciate that I was getting the proper Calgary experience...a Chinook on Tuesday, and now snow on Thursday. (Another Calgary lesson: a Chinook is a warm, moist wind from the Pacific Ocean that can raise temps by as much as 15 degrees in just a few hours. And, quick climate lesson: average summer temperature is 65 degrees, average winter temperature is 18 degrees, average rainfall per year is 13 inches, average snowfall per year is 50 inches.) Here is the promised picture of Greg with his truck. I think he's getting more used to it, and especially appreciates the remote starter on days like this one! Greg actually worked most of the morning, and we had 'brunch' at Nellie's Kitchen. The snow was a bit daunting to drive in, as they don't plow or salt for a mere 3-4 inches. Ha! We drove by our new home for a snow picture, so cute!!! Stopped by the mall so that I could officially enter the 21st century with a smartphone, and then to wrap up the week with some sushi at Ki...yum! (Yes, the snow was still falling.) We relaxed at the hotel with a little Big Bang Theory and Grey's Anatomy, for those who might be wondering what kind of TV programming is up north. No need to worry though, The Amazing Race comes in loud and clear, so all is right with the world. :)
On Friday, November 9th, Greg and I said goodbye as he was staying for another week and I was heading back home to relieve Dad and Sherry of grandparent duty. My flight was delayed, so it was a long day. But, we were really thankful for all that we accomplished this week, and of course, completely overwhelmed at all the new things that we've added to the "to do" list. It will be a busy two months as we finish moving details, pack up the house, celebrate birthdays and holidays, and prepare for life abroad again. Wish us luck, eh?!
