My one hope for this blog is that I do not abandon it. Here I am again after 3 and a half months.
Since arriving in Lethbridge, I landed a job working for the Alberta Government. I am an Aquatic Invasive Species Inspector for Alberta Parks. I am blessed to be able to see many of the parks in southern Alberta, travelling around to inspect watercraft for invasive species, i.e. zebra mussels, quagga mussels, and eurasian water milfoil, before they enter the water.
We’ve been to most of the major parks already, here’s a few pictures of some of the parks.
Lundbreck Falls
Lake Newell @ Kinbrook Island PP
Lower Kananaskis Lakes @ Peter Lougheed PP
Cypress Hills PP
Chain Lakes PP
Westward drive towards Crowsnest Pass
Beauvais Lake PP
This job requires me to be out of town a lot and work long hours while I’m at work. Thankfully I get 3 day weekends so I can prepare for the next trip and complete all of my domestic mama duties done! My partner has been unbelievably helpful around the house while I’ve been gone, which I’ve appreciated so much. Things are looking up for us financially since we’re both working great jobs right now.
In other adventures, I’ve reignited my passion regarding the sunburst granny square blanket I’m working on. I decided on a new pattern to complete the remaining 120 squares, which is much more favourable than the one I was using prior. I have approximately 40 squares right now.
Since coming to Lethbridge, we’ve been able to find affordable and fantastically ethical and traditional foods. I was able to locate pasture raised pork products. Our eggs are truly free-range from dusting, pecking, bug-eating hens. Our beef is grass fed without the use of antibiotics and hormones. I recently placed an order with Trail’s End Beef for a quarter cow, which will be ready in October. Their standards are outstanding and I am so excited to have found their ranch. The milk we found isn’t grass fed, but it is organic, low-temperature pasteurized and non-homogenized. I started making my own butter from their fabulously silky 52% heavy cream.
We’ve been improving steadily on the food budget, finding ways to meet our food goals in terms of nutrition, environment, and ethics – without breaking the bank. Costco is such a blessing and is always improving their options for natural and organic foods. We buy very few things at the traditional grocery store anymore. My garden is growing well and soon we will be harvesting plenty of vegetable fruits and greens.
On a final side-note, my partner is officially enrolled in college for the fall and is taking on a new trade. We are both really excited about this. In only 8 months he will embark on a completely new career making better money than before. Our 1 year old son is in a day-home and absolutely loving it. He is a social butterfly full of energy, and it’s a perfect outlet for his sweet, large personality.
I know this would have been better in 4 separate blog posts between April and July, but here it is. Anyone have any advice on feeding a family a traditional diet on a frugal budget?
This Life in a Prairie Garden 