Jack Frost Festival 2010

Yesterday, valantine's day, was this year's Jack Frost Festival.

Snowboarding bloke...

Probably an Inuit...

As we entered the festival, we got to see the snow sculptures...

It was much nicer this year to spend the day with the family and enjoy the Ice Playground with Hayden.

Last year I really wanted to go on the slides, but without a kid nearby, would have looked a bit dodgy :)
This year was totally different :)
Hayden did want to go down the big slide by himself, but, he held up the queue pondering what to do...

So Kath helped him on his way...

Both me and Kath took it in turns going down the big slide with Hayden, I even took Taz down with me, but after I got a wet arse, both me and Taz looked on as Kath and Hayden got ready to launch on the fastest one...

Over in seconds, they reached the bottom, Kath laughing loudly and Hayden stuck between her legs

We raced each other to the top of the 'mountain' multiple times - he legitimately won twice! How bad is that!?

Although it was -3 degrees or something we stayed out in it for about 2 1/2 hours before heading to the Mall to see the activites there.

Taryn managed to stay warm despite this, and was happy all day long...

We sat for a while and watched the ice sculpting, this guy using his chainsaw to carved his masterpeice..

I don't know how they did this, carved the baby from behind and then stuffed it with snow and let it freeze over again? - very cool!

One of the major themes this year being the Olympics of course and Canadian hopes run high for the Hockey.

The detail was awesome, the puck was an ice puck with the maple leaf etched into it

  

Once at the Mall for a warm up, Hayden entered the Super Hero Training camp where he met his old nemesis Batman

And then he was put through his paces on the assualt course.

After that we went for our valantine's 'special' meal at Simms Steak House - which is our favourite fine dining restaraunt. The kids were really well behaved, for once, and we had an enitre meal without screaming or incident.

Then we walked back to Jack Frost at 6:30pm to see the snow sculptures all lit up and ambient, and this was followed by a really, really good firework display - but I don't take pictures of fireworks.. because tey're always pantz!

Last year I loved the festival and spent ages there, most of the time thinking about Kath or Hayden's reactions to the extraordinary sculptures, acrobatics of Flying Canucks, and the ice slides and other stuff - it was great to experience it with them this year - and even though they'd seen pictures from last year, thier reactions were just as I had imagined :)

Sasquatch

Yesterday Charlottetown finally made it onto Google's Street View... yay!

Now you can take a virtual tour of our new home here on PEI.

More importantly than that though....
Afew months back, in the summer I was walking to work and saw the Smart car or whatever it was driving down the road towards me. A big pole sticking out of the top with a ball on top.. a ball of cameras. I thought it was the Google Street view car but wasn't sure just in case I kept my eye on it - I think I even waved or gave it the thumbs up :)

Anyway, turns out it was the Google car and it did snap me! LOL

Click on the link to see me walking to work :) <---

They got me off guard however and instead of grinning or waving I was simply captured in one of those natural, surprised moments... just like Sasqwatch was...

... that's twice they've got me... I thoguht if I shaved they wouldn't find me again! Damn invasion of privacy if you ask me!

Ryan in work spotted that one and made the image - I thought it was hilarious and had to share.

If you're unfamiliar with Street View, it's awesome! A small car drives around towns with a bunch of cameras attached taking 360 degree shots every few metres. As a result you can go to the town, in Google Maps, drag the little yellow guy onto the road you want to view and Blammo - you're in a virtual 3D representation of the town captured as it was the day the car drove by. So I'm immortalised in the Google world, which is nice, I guess until they update it, which will be years away.

:)

1 Year in PEI

I arrived in PEI on 30th January last year, on a Friday.
My first day working in the Games Industry at Other Ocean was Monday February 2nd.
So I've offically been working for exactly 1 year today.

Being in contact on Skype and Xbox Live with friends keeps it real - the year seems to have flown by with so much going on,  and the past few months working overtime have completely dissappeared. I've hardly had a chance to miss anyone from the UK, and it's been great to chat on Skype or play games online and have chat. I hope for more of that.

So what does this year hold?
I hope a few visits from friends whilst we still have a big house. Must try to sell my Skyline, so if you're in the UK and reading this and have a friend who wants it - it's up for sale for $3K... a bargain for sucha great car... sad to sell it for this price, but I'm just trying to pay off some debts now and $3K will help me out.