My "Team"

I need to take things to the drycleaner. And the tailor. And I need to make a dentist appointment, and a chiropractor appointment. And I need a massage. And I need my eyebrows threaded, and Dallas needs a haircut. Whew. If we were still in Edmonton, I would have access to all the members of my "team." These are the individuals who, if I were a multi-millionaire, I would pay each of them a salary and/or keep them on retainer. I miss them, and am trying to figure out how to amass a similar group of folks here in Victoria.

For those of you still in Edmonton, I can recommend the following:

Lauren at Raw Beauty in St Albert: Lauren is THE BEST. Dallas actually just told me the other day that he plans on not having his hair cut until our next visit to Edmonton. In a similar vein, I have promised Lauren that after I have tired of my ever-growing-longer hair, she will be the one to cut it off for good. For the first 2 years we lived in Edmonton I let her have her way with my locks and received endless compliments on the haircuts she gave. I say that not to toot my own horn, but to acknowledge that Lauren makes people look their best. Even though it took us about 35 minutes to get to the salon from our house on the south side, we would not trust our hair to anyone else in Edmonton & area - and neither should you.

Friendly Nails: Located in the Capilano area of Edmonton, these ladies give the best pedicures in town. For $30. You can be assured an excellent experience that includes the latest gossip magazines and those crazy massaging chairs. I first heard about this place from my friend Jennifer, and soon a whole bunch of us from work were making frequent trips. Because you CAN afford a pedicure every 4 to 6 weeks when it's only $30.

Bella Tonic Spa: I was a faithful attendee for 4 years, and miss this place dearly. Who doesn't love having their eyebrows threaded for only $5!


Wallace Shoe Repair: It's no secret that I have a penchant for shoes. My favourite brand is Camper. In order to keep my Campers looking good I would bring them in each spring for a clean up and to be winterized for the next year (I own 3 pairs of Camper boots). When I would pick them up, they looked NEW. Wild. Michael does a great job on heel taps as well.

Bill at Fashion Tailors: Bill is a GENIUS. Caitlin originally referred us to Bill when Dallas' first pair of Nudies were in a state of disrepair after our month-long trip to Europe. Bill has this unique ability to patch jeans so that your worn-in favourites have a second (or third, or fourth...Caitlin, I'm talking to you!) lease on life. If you've ever been on the receiving end of a pair of pants that were hemmed incorrectly, you will know the value of finding an excellent tailor. Bill works wonders on all kinds of other clothing too, right Amy?

My doctor and our chiropractor both referred us to people out here, but now it is up to us to do the work of building those relationships. I should also really work on finding a family doctor out here. Am thankful for some recommendations on that front. And I've also got to find that massage therapist...with all this time on my hands, I better do something, and what better thing to do than get a massage?

If you are in need of any services in Edmonton, please try the above folks - you won't be disappointed. And if you have any tips for Victoria, please send them my way.

Saying goodbye to: The Stollery Children's Hospital

Is it this time already? The days seem to be zooming by with lightning speed. Friday marked the last day of work for Dallas and I at our respective work places. Edmonton has been so generous with respect to employment for us both. When we first moved here I was able to transfer to a branch of TD Canada Trust with ease and carry on with my illustrious student-career as a bank teller, and Dallas started his electrician apprenticeship right away as well. However, we have both moved on since those first jobs in Edmonton. Dallas has spent the past two years with Optimum Electrical and I have been employed at the Stollery Children's Hospital for approximately two years as well.

August 20 has long been the potential date we would finish working and being the full-time job of transitioning to Victoria, but it seemed to come so quickly. I first came to know the Stollery in Fall 2007 when I did my first BSW practicum. I had an amazing preceptor (who is now a good friend) and started to figure out what social work actually looked like in a practice setting. The team of social workers at the Stollery and the University of Alberta Hospital (which exist in the same giant building) are a knowledgeable, hard-working, professional and dedicated group of individuals. I have been fortunate to be surrounded by peers who are willing to lead by example, encourage me to take on new challenges in practice and to serve the patients and families in our care.

After finishing my degree in spring 2008 I decided to begin work at the hospital. Though my status has been "casual" for a large part of my employment, I have worked a great deal. Over the years I have had the opportunity to work on every unit of the Stollery, from PICU to ambulatory care. I have worked on teams with brilliant staff and physicians, and have met countless families who face the challenges of having a sick child with strength and determination. I am truly honoured to have provided care to the children and families who have walked through those doors with the ever-smiling white and pink bear above them. Each one of my interactions has shaped my practice, provided times to grow and learn more about myself and those around me.

Given that we are moving to a smaller city, I do not know if I will ever have the opportunity to work in a setting like the Stollery, serving patients from 4 provinces and 3 territories. I consider it an honour that I have spent the past two years - the first two or so of my career as social worker - in such an incredible place. On Friday when I walked through the front doors of the massive building, my eyes filled with tears. I was able to spend much of the day sharing my gratitude with my co-workers and the staff of the units who have believed in and supported me on my journey. It was a day well spent.

What does it all mean? (like that silly double rainbow...) Well, I figure that I am going to spend a lot of time at work, b/c that is how things seem to go here in North America, so I might as well enjoy myself. Perhaps the word "enjoy" is superficial, because certainly I did not enjoy each day at the Stollery. Work loads were high and my job was to provide support to families whose children were sick, or dying, or somewhere in between. It was, and will always be, difficult work. But so rewarding, so rich. I hope that I will have more opportunities in the future to be surrounded by equally dedicated groups of people and see the resilience and light in patients in the darkest of times. Although I don't yet know what "work" will look like in Victoria, I enter the next phase of this thing knowing that I have strong roots. Thank you, Stollery Children's Hospital, for all you have taught me.

Dear Edmonton, I love you.

Where to begin? 4 years plus a few months ago we began life together in Edmonton. Dallas and I were recently married and excited to figure out what it meant to be Mr. & Mrs. We decided on Edmonton originally, if I remember correctly, because Dallas thought he would have luck finding work here. It was easy for me to transfer school and continue at the U of Calgary, Faculty of Social Work, Edmonton Division. I was eager to be near his family to get to know them better, and the housing situation that presented itself was a good fit at a time when rents were going up and we were very, um, strapped for cash. Who knew, at that time, that Edmonton would become home?

It is funny to look back to those first 2 years here, while I was still busy with school, Dallas was working on his apprenticeship as an electrician. Our monthly income was limited, but we enjoyed the city, old friends (Dallas’) and made new friends (Rachel & Dallas’). Somehow the last 4 years have flown by and though we are both excited to see what the future holds, it will not be easy to leave this city where we have jobs we enjoy and find fulfilling and countless other things to add to our general happiness.

The point of me getting back to blogging is, for now, to show YEG some love. We are approximately 3 weeks from moving away and I have been meaning to write these posts for months. Edmonton has been very kind and generous to us. We have always had work, reached personal goals (Rachel = BSW, Dallas = Red Seal), deepened old friendships and made new forever friends, grown, been challenged, and have thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. It is cathartic to put it to paper, or computer, I guess.

Just this week I was hit with the thought, “I wonder if Victoria will ever feel like home the way Edmonton does?” The city is familiar in the best way, comfortable and broken in like your favourite pair of jeans. It is exciting and nerve-wracking to think of the enormous amounts of change that are going to be occurring in our lives very shortly, and before I become entirely focused on staying above water through those things, I want to be intentional about remembering Edmonton. So check back over the next few weeks – I will procrastinate from packing and share the best of Edmonton, in my humble opinion.