I've been bitten,,,

... by the cooking bug.  After months of settling for leftovers from work or cheap and easy take-out options for dinner - I've decided it's time to cook again, for a number of reasons.  First off, I feel a lot better when I cook for myself.  I'm in the best physical shape I've been in since high school.  I figure it's time to combine that with a healthier diet.  On top of that, there's also the money side of things.  Aside from taking home extra food from work, cooking for myself is the most financially-friendly option.  Eating out in Whistler is delicious but expensive and I want to try and save some money so I can survive the off-season without breaking the bank.  Last but not least, it's a creative outlet for me.  I don't have my guitar or my painting supplies (which were my go-to options for creative expression pre-Whistler).  Even though I'm no whiz in the kitchen, I still love to create.  Check out my meals from the last week:

Mixed vegetable (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, snow peas, red pepper, yellow pepper and red onion) and ginger stir-fry with honey-garlic chicken and noodles... and yes I listed all of the vegetables to impress my parents.

Linguine covered in creamy tomato sauce with garlic, red pepper, red onion and seasoned ground beef, topped with cheddar and mozzarella cheese.  Even though my sauce isn't homemade like I get back home, it still tasted damn good... probably due to the Philly cream cheese I added.

Ground chorizo sausage fried in olive oil, beer and onion topped with coleslaw and barbecue sauce on a toasted bun.   A perfect pairing with Hockey Night in Canada.

I'm going to do my best to continue the trend of home cooked meals as often as I can.  It definitely beats eating leftover pasta from work (which is great when it's fresh but if you've seen what it looks like bundled in a paper take-away container and plastic wrap, you'd understand).

Happy cooking.

Nat.

A letter to all those back home:

Let me get something straight - If you've been keeping up with my posts, you know that I love Whistler for the mountains and the snowboarding.  I don't need to reiterate that any further.  But know that this town can be cold (both literally and figuratively).  People come and go from season to season.  Friends I've made this winter will most likely be gone by the time May rolls around; or if I'm lucky they'll stay 'til the end of summer.  If you're reading this blog, you know me and you know I don't bond with new people quickly.  It takes time for me to find the ones who I want to have in my life for the long run.  It took me years to find you all in Ontario, and I left the comfort and security you provided behind when I moved out here.  I know that's the price I've got to pay to be doing what I love in Whistler and I've accepted that.  But understand this: I miss having people around me who I know I can trust completely who've got my back no matter what (both are hard to find out here).  So it may not seem like it but I do miss the world I left behind.  I miss you all dearly.  Know that and don't forget it. 

Nat.

A mid-season progress report...

25 days.  For the past two and a half months, I've been on my board every day I've had off.  Some days were better than others.  There were some sweet runs and some epic bails.  Some perfect powder days and some days of riding what felt like concrete.  Some successful jumps and some killer bruises.  All of this and everything in between.  That's what I'm here for.  And when life gets me down, all I need to do is look at this:

 
Then I remember why it's all worth it.  I fell in love with the mountains on my first day in Whistler and that feeling has only grown during my time here. 

Last Wednesday was my best day on the mountain so far.  I had so much confidence and it just continued to build throughout the day.  The sun was shining.  I managed to find powder in 7th Heaven and successfully navigated some tree runs.  I landed a few sweet jumps and got some wicked photos.  I had a couple peaceful moments just chilling, enjoying my tunes and taking it all in.  I felt incredibly free flying down the mountain on my last ride of the day.  I didn't want it to end.  But, it's always only 5 more days until I can do the same thing all over again.