It's 12c, let's have a barbecue!

Another weekend in Ralston and today we had the most fantastic spring weather with temperatures up to 12c.

Long before Christmas I had been told that when the big freeze finally ends and temperatures get to double figures, everybody is so relieved that they over react and come out into the garden in t-shirts.

I can confirm we have behaved according to those predictions by holding our first barbecue of the year!

Despite the fact it was well above freezing, the snow is taking ages to shift, so we had a surreal afternoon sitting in the garden wearing t-shirts (well me at least!) whilst keeping the booze chilled by burying it in what's left of the snow drifts (see left!)

We were joined at the barbecue today by the Whelan family who have just arrived from Germany, their inclusion in this blog brings life full circle as Kim used to read it back home in Mönchengladbach trying to find out about life in Ralston prior to their posting!

The good news is that the warm weather is forecast to continue for the next 5 days at least and Jim's going to be at home all week having pulled out of his ski course because of work commitments.

Our other news this weekend is that we appear to have had a change of 'tenants' under our shed. It looks like the rabbits have moved on and been replaced by a pair of gophers. Blackie has taken a keen interest in the new arrivals and came quite close to catching one, but most of the time seems to be oblivious to them running about only feet away from where she's sunning herself.

The gophers which are actually really ground squirrels, aren't actually very attractive close up. I think they look rather like rats - which is ironic because I recently learnt that Alberta is a rat free province. Apparently rats can't cross the Rocky Mountains! You learna new thing every day!