Fernie Time..

Last week was a busy one- we prepared for our trip to Fernie, another first. I was apprehensive and excited at the same time. We have not skied Fernie since we sold our place in 2010, we all missed it last year, especially Jim and Grant who covered all of the hill. This year it would be the 3 of us, going back with so many memories of our time spent as a family in the valley, all 4 of us , just happy to be together doing what we loved to do. Jim had actually been down once this year for a day trip, he had already experienced the empty spot on the chair beside him, still so hard to comprehend......The tears started when we left Calgary and hit the well travelled highway south, this did not bode well for the weekend, but the happy memories and the joy we shared together had us laughing and cherishing as well. We had our friends Dale, Colleen, Scott and Graeme Russell come with us. Scott and Grant were good friends and we had shared time at Fernie a few years back, it was wonderful to share this first with them. We were fortunate to stay in our fiends the Ball's condo on the hill, many memories there as well. All in all, it was wonderful. We still comment on how unreal it is that Grant is not with us, I really do not expect that feeling to ever go away, we miss him all the time, in everything we do. We missed seeing him climb the hardest path to get to our locker, sliding down the snowbank, seeing him take off down the "bumps" while some of us (me) took the easier, much more travelled path, to see him waiting patiently at the bottom of the run with his beautiful smile. We missed his laughter joined with Ali's as they watched a movie during the car ride, the glow from his iPad as he played games, as well as his quiet singing while listening to his iPod...... they are all in my mind but I want them to be real so badly. I can still hear his voice and his laughter but I am worried I will lose that as well.....

This week comes with a new set of challenges. I start my new job working as Assistant to my sister Gaye and nephew Geoff, who are both Royal Bank Mortgage Specialists and Jim finishes his last few days at Shaw. He will be starting work at J&L Supply on February 1st!!! So happy for him but the stress level in our house is on the rise- just what we need. It is all so good but scary at the same time, I am too old for this much change......

We have gotten back in the swing of Basketball with Ali- she is an amazing player and it is so much fun to watch her play and have the camaraderie with the parents. Tears fall at games as well- thinking of Grants love for the game- but we know he is with Ali as she plays and with us as we cheer her on, he loved being there to watch her, her biggest fan.

Day by Day.....