Our first week in Nova Scotia

So,

Hard to believe we've only been here a week.

Darby and I are getting used to cottage life, and have made a list of goals for the summer–first and foremost, finding jobs. But we've also been jogging every second day, getting our cottage organized, and helping her parents out around the land.

Mostly, we're just grateful to live in such a beautiful place.

A few days ago we had a campfire by our cottage, and while Darby's Dad was looking for firewood, he found two new buildings that he didn't know were there. There's an outhouse, and a shed that was ominously locked and nailed shut.

Today we cut a path to the structures, and made a clearing around them. I got to use a chainsaw, I chopped down a tree with an axe and lugged fallen trees around in the woods. I'm still picking bits out of my hair, and got a pretty decent sunburn.

Afterwards we went down to the beach and ran into the ocean, which was crazy cold but refreshing.

Darby and I have been building a stone path too, lugging rocks up from the beach and digging them into the ground. We bought a gnome named Steve (see above) to keep us company.

In other words, life is good.

Posted some pictures after the jump.

Will!!

Apiculture

So,

The new issue of The Malahat Review came the other day.

I was excited to read it, because the winning story from their fiction contest was in it. It's called "Apiculture", and it's by Victoria writer Erin Frances Fisher.

I interviewed Erin about the story a few months ago, but hadn't gotten a chance to read it until now.

Anyways, I'm happy to report that it's amazing. I think it's disturbing, beautifully written and haunting. I loved it so much that I read it out loud to Darby, and she thought it was phenomenal as well.

I thought I'd reprint the first paragraph, just to whet your appetites:

"The summer I was ten, when Dad was still happy with the bees, my sister Aubrey came home for a visit. The year before our mother had left–moved hundreds of kilometers east on her own, after the culmination of her own problems: the truck accident where she'd drifted into a ditch and lost her right arm below the elbow."

Amazing, right?

The new issue also has a story by Steven Heighton called "OutTrip", from his new collection The Dead Are More Visible. I've been meaning to buy it, so this will tide me over until the next time I make my way to a bookstore.

Looking forward to reading the rest of the issue.

Will!!

Hell's Cove

So,

We've arrived.

We woke up in Bangor, Maine yesterday and Darby decided she wanted to try to make it all the way to Nova Scotia in one day. Garmin told us it was about 530 miles, so we made a run for it.

We wanted it to be a surprise, so we told Darby's parents we were staying in Maine. We flew through the border and then up the coast.

We made a quite stop at UNB to check out the campus, then burned right back to the highway.

Our new house is so secluded that the GPS got confused, and we were briefly lost. But then we found it: our little church on the seaside.

Darby and I have been nesting, going for walks with her parents and starting to scout out jobs.

I've already set up my writing desk (trying not to get bummed that I was greeted by a rejection letter from The Malahat Review) and I'm looking forward to getting to work.

Our cabin (which is two minutes from the main house) doesn't have an Internet connection, which should help with my productivity. Work on my thesis will commence shortly.

I am so happy to be here. Darby's sister Ally (or "Gander") is here, and today we built a fire pit together. She brought me n' Darby a bunch of Lululemon stuff from New Zealand, so we basically have whole new wardrobes.

This area is gorgeous. Darby and I walked around Lunenburg a little bit today, and then we went for a walk along the ocean with her parents and Ally. I'm looking forward to exploring more.

Check out some more photos after the jump.

Will!!

Road Trip, Day 7-9

So,

We're in Bangor, Maine.

The days are starting to blend together, as we get closer to the East Coast. I've been keeping a journal on the dash, and making Darby take notes so we'll remember everything that's happened along the way.

For instance: Yesterday when we went through Customs, I got Darby to jot down a note that said: "ASSHOLE BORDER GUARD".

Somewhere along the way we got tired of taking pictures of the "Welcome To..." signs. I guess that was inevitable. But we've got some good shots of the scenery along the way.

So far we've hit eight states and two provinces.

Tomorrow we'll cross the border into New Brunswick. We're going to try to make it to Fredericton, where I'm hoping to check out UNB campus, and maybe even the office of The Fiddlehead.

Anyways, here are some photos and thoughts on the last few days:

Jen Neale wins Bronwen Wallace Award

Geoff Lister photo

So,

I'm a few days late on this, but my friend Jen Neale won the Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers. I'm stoked for her.

Her story "Elk-Headed Man" took the top prize, which was $5000. This was a story we work-shopped in my fiction class at UBC, and I love it.

You can read my Ubyssey article about Jen HERE. And there's a story in This Magazine as well.

Just wanted to say CONGRATS!

Will!!

Road Trip, Day 5 & 6

So,

I'm sitting in Gemma's apartment in Ottawa. I just choked down a health drink Darby made me, and we watched the most recent episode of Girls. I think it may be my favorite HBO comedy, even over Flight of the Conchords.

We're about half-way through our road trip, and Darby and I have decided to take the day off.

Unless you count short lay-overs in the Toronto Airport, I haven't been in Ontario for over twenty years. Considering I was born here, I thought it would be nice to have a look around.

We're going jogging in a bit, we want to take some pictures at Parliament, and tonight we're going out for sushi with Gemma.

Because we're on a bit of a schedule, we're not going to see many friends on this trip. But I'm glad we got a chance to see Gemma before she heads for her summer internship at The Edmonton Journal.

Tomorrow we'll hit Montreal, and we're planning to go for lunch with Nicki Ross.

Anyways, I wanted to dump some more photos and write about our last two days on the road. Check it out after the jump:

The Ubyssey Show

Indiana Joel graphic

So,

Darby's in the shower right now, so I was tinkering away on the computer.

I swung by Indiana Joel's website.  She's been the illustrator of my column all year, and it's been a real pleasure to work with her. I think she's a talented, professional artist and I think she's going to have a great career.

Anyways, somehow I missed the above graphic. That's the staff team of The Ubyssey this year. Can you spot me?

Working at The Ubyssey was a great experience. I thought I was done with student newspapers after three years at The Martlet, but it was a great way to keep busy, write some new columns and meet an awesome group of people.

Also, The Ubyssey folk know how to party.

 I loved my boss (the beautiful Ginny Monaco) and all the various big personalities around the office.

I'm also grateful to managing editor Justin McElroy, who tracked me down and recruited me while I was at The Whitehorse Star last summer. He's working at The Province this summer, and he's a name you'll have to look out for in the journalism world.

Will!!