What do you need to know about my car? That’s it’s for sale.? That it’s a 2005 Honda Civic Si Hatchback?  That it has just over 82,000 miles? Oh…it’s also a 5-speed manual transmission.

I just had a minor service, they guys at Automotive Excellence in Cotati said it was in good condition.

I have all of the service records, including two services I had in Calgary, Alberta and Whitehorse, Yukon.

The blue book value is $8,445.

Here is the CARFAX Vehicle History Report.

For such a small car, it is very roomy. Surprisingly roomy. In fact, when I was remodeling the bungalow and I had to transport a fireplace, the guys where I picked up the fireplace stood around and looked at me and looked at my car and shook their heads and said: “No way. No way will you fit the fireplace in that little car.You need a truck. You definitely need a truck.”

I said: “Pshaw. P-S-H-A-W! I once fit three 17-foot sea kayaks on top, three people, and enough gear for a three-day camping weekend in a Honda Civic hatch. I bet I can fit in that fireplace. Besides, if it doesn’t fit in, it will fit on top.” (Did I mention it has roof racks?)

So these big burly guys stood around harrumphing and betting that I couldn’t fit the fireplace in the hatch, but once they saw that it would fit, they all crowded around to help. “Well I’ll be…” I  heard somebody exclaim. “I’ll be..”.

Regardless. Most of those 82000 miles are highway miles. I bought this car in March of 2005 when I lived in Healdsburg and worked in Petaluma, California (70 miles round trip, daily).  Then, I lived and worked in Healdsburg for two years with little or no driving.

In 2009, I took it on a road trip to Canada. I drove it to Calgary, Alberta, then to Whitehorse, Yukon, then back again.

It’s a good little car. I love my little car. If I weren’t leaving the country, there would be no way in hell I’d sell it.

Here are the specs:

• $8445 (KBB value)
• Complete and verifiable service records.
• Free of any major defects.
• Clean title history
• The paints, body, and interior have only minor (if any) blemishes, and there are no major mechanical problems.
• No rust on this vehicle.
• Tires match and have substantial tread wear left.
• Air conditioning
• Power steering
• Power windows
• Power door locks
• Tilt wheel
• Cruise control
• Dual front air bags
• ABS (4-wheel)
• AM/FM radio
• Single compact disk
• Moon roof
• Alloy wheels
• VIN available upon request.

To my friends and family who have inquired: “Nothing happening on your blog Jennie. What’s going on? Are you OK?” Thank you for inquiring. Yes. I am alive. I am fine. I’ve just had a lot going on.

At the end of January, I drove from Whitehorse, Yukon to Healdsburg, California. We’d sold a property and I needed to be in Healdsburg to close the deal. I stopped in Smithers for a day to visit my very good friend (good woman post to come). On Saturday, I carried on to 100 Mile House. On Monday, I got up as early as I could and started into Vancouver. I had to pick my older sister up at the Vancouver airport. (My sister pulled her Big Sister Card on this trip and said she was going to fly out and help me with packing and moving–even if I didn’t think I needed help). What can I say? She was right (as big sisters usually are). I’m glad she did.

Anyway, I picked her up and we carried onto my cousin’s house in Surrey, BC. We showed up around 3 pm. We visited for a while, then went for a walk along the waterfront. On the way home, we (my sister and I) decided we were going to cook dinner–so we planned a menu, went to the shops, bought the groceries, and cooked dinner. I think my cousin quite enjoyed it. She now says we can just show up anytime and cook her dinner.

DO YOU KNOW WHERE ALASKA IS?

Early the next morning, we drove the five minutes to the US border and crossed into the United States. The border guard kept asking: “Where are you from?” and “What is your purpose in the United States?” I told him three times that I was from the Yukon before I realized that he wasn’t hearing “Yukon”. He was hearing, “Utah”. When I finally realized that, I asked him if he knew where the Yukon was. He said no he didn’t. I’m not offended that he doesn’t know where the Yukon is, not too many people outside of Canada do.

But, I have explained it so many times before: “Do you know where Alaska is?” I put my left hand up in front of my face and splayed my fingers in a vague array of a map of Alaska. He nods but looks a bit affronted (probably because of my tone of voice, but I couldn’t help myself). I smiled to alleviate the annoying tone and put my right hand up beside the left and flipped it over mimicking the border of the Yukon and Alaska. “The Yukon is the Canadian part of Alaska.” And the light went on in his eyes (as it does when I mime this description). “Ah…Right. Way up north. OK.” He lets us through.

STOP! FOLLOW THE PLOUGHS

We stopped in Oregon for a break and something to eat. We actually stopped at Costco — to pick up healthy munchies for the road. And I practically danced out to the car in the parking lot with just one layer of clothing. I think I started singing: “It’s warm enough for one shirt. One layer! Wwwooohoooo!” I’ve been in the Yukon for three months and I wore a minimum of three layers at all times. I was never comfortable being so bundled up. All of those clothes restricts my movement.. My Mum would say: “You have to grow your own layers Jen. Grow your own built-in layers.” I told her that I already had 20 extra pounds of my own built-in layers. I am not comfortable in them either.

We carried on to Healdsburg (through Washington, Oregon, and Northern California.) We had to stop for the night in Redding because from all of that driving from the Yukon, the worst weather we encountered was in Northern California. The weather really was terrible. At one point, we were the one car behind three snow ploughs that were staggered across the highway ploughing snow. Then, all of a sudden, they just got off the highway. And I was stressed and anxious about not being the driver (even though my big sis drives in conditions like that all the time in Ontario). I was so stressed about the weather, that when I saw the plows exiting the highway, I literally shouted, “STOP! FOLLOW THE PLOUGHS!” because all I could think of was: The weather is so bad–EVEN THE PLOUGHS are leaving the highway. And non of the exits were ploughed. The snow was too deep for my wee Honda (even if I had snow tires). I just thought the weather was so bad, that the ploughs were leaving and ploughing the ONE exit from where we might actually be able to leave the highway.

My sister thought totally the opposite. She thought the were leaving the highway because it didn’t need to be plowed anymore.

She was right (as big sisters usually are) and we carried on. We carried on because there was a line of big trucks coming up at high speed right behind us and there was only one option–to keep going. And she was the driver. We kept going and we got through the snow storm and we stopped in Redding. Because I was so stressed about the driving and I’d stressed my sister and we just stopped and got off the road and out of the weather. The hotel was definitely worth

TREE DOWN

We finally arrived in Healdsburg the next day. We arrived to a two-ton tree that had fallen on Fitch Mountain Lookout. Well..not exactly on, but against. And, it could definitely have been worse. Three feet to the left and it would have been on top of the house. Regardless, it did do damage and we now have to figure out how to fix it.

In the meantime, we sold the other property (HealdsburgBungalow.com) and had to get all the personal property off that property and relocate, redistribute, or resell the household furnishings. Fitch Mountain Lookout got an update (which is nice). It is now a notch above what it used to be.

I had to sign papers left, right, and centre for the sale of the bungalow. Just when I thought things were finished, there were papers missed, or new forms. It was all a bit of a nightmare, but I think we got it all sussed. I’m quite relieved that it is done and off my plate. Moreover, I think I am just relieved that I am no longer responsible for half of the mortgage.

My sister was here for three weeks and was a godsend for help. And if she couldn’t help pack or move, she cooked us dinner. You gotta love somebody who can cook you dinner: exactly what you need and just when you need it. Have I mentioned that she is a pretty good cook? So, luckily, for three weeks, I enjoyed the wisdom and company and cooking of my older sister.  Thank you Redd. I enjoyed every minute of it.

Today was the first day I’ve had some time for myself. Today, I took a break. A break from my personal fixations and worries and stresses and I had a coffee and a great chat with Jennifer Becnel. We were talking about ideas for her website and family business: BecnelFamilyVineyards.com. I had a few good ideas for her site and she reciprocated some of her own ideas, perspectives, and thoughts for me.

Then, I thought I’d take a bit more time and make my first official blog entry of 2010.

Happy New Year everybody. Don’t forget to show up tomorrow at 11h am!!!

I sent an email with all the contact information. Let me know if I missed something.

Looking forward to meeting everybody.

Tonight I was playing Canasta with my parents. I laughed and said: “You know you are a Yukoner when you know what hand and foot Canasta is.”

How would you finish this sentence: “You know you are a Yukoner when: …”

Hi everybody, I am looking forward to meeting everybody in a few weeks. So far, the bloggy brunch consists of:

• Murray and Carole over at ExlporeNorth.
• Fawn and Michael from Fawnahareo and Michael’s Meanderings
• Stacie from Yukon Yahoos. 
• Dave Rogers from What He Said.
• And his significant other Cathy from YukonChatterBug.
• Me: YukonJen (and my parents of course).

Anybody else in? 11 am on 03 January. Bring your skis and we’ll go out to Mary Lake after (work off all that brunch). 

Leave a comment if you are bringing something. I’m making stuffed French toast.

I don’t match my socks. But it’s not as bad as you think. I just don’t match two socks and roll them up and put them in a drawer. I don’t like the rolling bit. I don’t know why. I just don’t. Maybe I read somewhere it’s bad kharma to roll your socks. I-personally-like to have a drawer full of single socks.  Actually, I have two drawers full of socks: one full of white sport socks, and the other full of dark or woolen socks. 

When I do get dressed, it’s not like I have visibly odd-socks. I don’t wear a white sock and a dark sock. Or a dark sock and a woolen sock. I usually wear socks that I buy  in bulk from Costco or some other warehouse place. I put all of the same colours in one drawer. When I need a pair of  socks, I pull out two from the drawer. I have a theory. If I reach into the drawer and pull out one sock, how many times to I have to reach into the drawer and pull out its mate? Once. At most, twice. It’s like a game when I get dressed. Almost a ritual. 

When I opened the package of white sports socks I bought this last time, I saw that they have different-coloured writing on the toes. Meaning, there are now pairs of socks in my bulk purchase (if you look at socks that way). A pair of socks with pink writing. A pair of socks with blue writing. And so on. 

I still put all of the same-coloured socks in one drawer. When I want a pair of white sport socks, I pull out two of the same type (previous bulk purchases have grey bottoms, now some of them have coloured writing), and I put them on. At least I have the same type of sport socks on. I don’t normally care if they are the same colour of writing on the toes or not. I guess I’m just rebellious or something. Or I’m asserting myself by not conforming to wearing a veritable pair of socks. Who really cares anyway? 

So far, I have found four people who have told me I am wearing odd socks. 

And I say: I know. 

I like them that way.

I logged on to my blog today to write a story about socks. Not even Christmas socks, but regular socks. I think I’ll save that for another day. Tonight, I’ll republish a Christmas wish from Fawn. I am so impressed.

Last week, when I knew I was going to have to start hearing Christmas music all over the place, I wanted to hear some different tunes. Alternative. Unique. Different. I am tired of all of the same songs, year after year. I even started finding the ones I really like in YouTube and publishing them here.

Fawn, though–being true to herself, actually wrote and recorded her own Christmas song and published it. I am so impressed.

Head on over to her blog and leave a comment if you like it. I do. I said I’d join the chorus and request the CD.

David Sedaris is one of my absolute favourite authors. I have all of his books. I read, and re-read them from time to time. He makes me laugh out loud. He’s alsoa contributor on one of my favourite radio programs, This American Life.

If you have a few minutes, this is one of my favourite Christmas stories from a cultural perspective.

I asked my friend from school (Grad ‘89!) to go skiing one day this week. We got together on Thursday out here at Mary Lake. Temperature: -16C. Warm for Yukoners. I was getting chilly by the end though.

We skiied half-way around the lake in one direction, then I noticed we were skiing into the shady side of the lake. We changed directions and skiied back into the sunny side. Once we were through, we did it again. That time though, we skiied all the way around the lake.

At this time a year in the Yukon, the sun rises for about 5 hours (10h am to 3h pm). It’s low in the sky and hits the tops of hillsides or the tops of the trees. So, unless you find some open space (like the lake), you may not feel the sun on your face for a few more months.

Here is an action shot of my friend (perfect form, but since I was the photographer, it’s a bit blurry).

We decided we were going to have a ski party sometime out there sometime. Hot drinks, fires, and hotdogs. I’ll have to get organizing that!