The biggest blessing about living in Whitehorse has been the friends and neighbours we have made. You can usually count on making some friends (one hopes) but neighbours – you just never now how that is going to turn out.
I’ll be posting more about our friends later but now is a perfect time to write about the two families we are sandwiched in between – literally- in our Takhini neighbourhood.
Bruce and Koreen are refreshingly down-to-earth people. They are on the other side of our duplex and we think that we are just going to build a cat flap between out two houses (between the joining wall instead of to outside) so that our kids can play in the winter at eachother’s homes without ever having to get their boots on.
I’ll be posting more about our friends later but now is a perfect time to write about the two families we are sandwiched in between – literally- in our Takhini neighbourhood.
Bruce and Koreen are refreshingly down-to-earth people. They are on the other side of our duplex and we think that we are just going to build a cat flap between out two houses (between the joining wall instead of to outside) so that our kids can play in the winter at eachother’s homes without ever having to get their boots on.
Their kids are Logan and Ember who feel know like cousins to my own. Ember and Ysabeau get a long pretty well considering they are both incredibly feisty girls and Logan keeps a mellow head during play time so things generally work out. The girls run around in dress-up clothes terrorizing the cul-de-sac with Logan corralling them on his bike.
Koreen is one of the truly kindest people I have ever met. She is a true caretaker and comes next door with a home-made hot chocolate when I’m not feeling well. She took care of Ysabeau in her home when I went back to work for a while and I couldn’t imagine a better person to entrust my kid to.
Bruce is Koreen’s equal in terms of kindness. He is a carpenter with ADD (just kidding- I think). Basically he is always working on some kind of project, or keen to help out so he always is there to guide and help us in our home improvements. A pretty-darn devoted father who enjoys scotch and a cigar - the front doorstep between our two houses is the scene of many a dad’s night out for him and Ian.
This couple has always been there for our kids and us. In fact, they will be taking care of Ethan while we are off on our pilgrimage to see the Pope. I’ll have to bring them back a Bobblehead Francis.
On the other side, is Bryan and Kathryn. Plain and simple- they inspire me. They have been top notch neighbours from day one whenNurse Kathryn moved - and in a matter of months and her super-handy, gentle and amazing-with-kids boyfriend moved to the North to be with her.
This couple has always been there for our kids and us. In fact, they will be taking care of Ethan while we are off on our pilgrimage to see the Pope. I’ll have to bring them back a Bobblehead Francis.
On the other side, is Bryan and Kathryn. Plain and simple- they inspire me. They have been top notch neighbours from day one whenNurse Kathryn moved - and in a matter of months and her super-handy, gentle and amazing-with-kids boyfriend moved to the North to be with her.
Bryan is also handy and applies his care for the earth and avoiding waste to so many of his projects around home. Together they make a spectacular gardening team and their generosity knows no bounds. Its couldn’t have gotten any better but then they announced they are getting married. Super great!
So basically they are sticking around for the long haul. Maybe one day we might even tie the knot as neighbours and get chickens together. (I know this neighbour edition is getting ridiculously sappy).
They actually lowered fences between our houses so we could enjoy eachother’s company more and built a small kid-sized fence between their house and ours and never complained about the suspiciously smaller crop of strawberries they had this year (thanks to Ysabeau). They practice what they preach about living lightly on this early and I am always amazed that despite their duplex being the mirror image of hours, their electricity bill is for sure $100 less. Clearly, I need to learn more from them!
They are headed off for an 8th month tour of Europe and other far off places – and on bikes no less. I can’t wait to hear about their adventures. Ysabeau will miss Kathryn and Bryan who are top of her list when she lists the people she loves. Top of mine too.
So basically they are sticking around for the long haul. Maybe one day we might even tie the knot as neighbours and get chickens together. (I know this neighbour edition is getting ridiculously sappy).
They actually lowered fences between our houses so we could enjoy eachother’s company more and built a small kid-sized fence between their house and ours and never complained about the suspiciously smaller crop of strawberries they had this year (thanks to Ysabeau). They practice what they preach about living lightly on this early and I am always amazed that despite their duplex being the mirror image of hours, their electricity bill is for sure $100 less. Clearly, I need to learn more from them!
They are headed off for an 8th month tour of Europe and other far off places – and on bikes no less. I can’t wait to hear about their adventures. Ysabeau will miss Kathryn and Bryan who are top of her list when she lists the people she loves. Top of mine too.
Our cul-de-sac is also the home of Jon and Odette and little Max (and soon another coming). They are always looking out for our kids too. As you can see below, there is a lot of beard going on in this little Takhini circle. Something in the water?
There are also triplets in the cul-de-sac about Ysa’s age so I am hoping when winter really starts to feel long, we all just commit to sending this gang of kids out to the giant snow hill the street plower makes and hope for the best.
There are also triplets in the cul-de-sac about Ysa’s age so I am hoping when winter really starts to feel long, we all just commit to sending this gang of kids out to the giant snow hill the street plower makes and hope for the best.