Alberta experienced rain almost everywhere in the province over the weekend but in McMurray we had sunny days with +12 to +14 degrees. The leaves on the trees were well on their way to turning orange and yellow. There were plenty of them on the ground too. As you arrive in the city, the scenic approach down the valley in to the downtown core is highlighted with the different colors in the trees. There was plenty of contrast between the various shades of green, yellow and orange. Very pretty in a fall sort of way.
There is still plenty of construction going on in Ft McMurray too. Progress continues on the overpass at the bottom of Thickwood Blvd and there is a new overpass being constructed at the bottom of Confederation Way. The new bridge nears completion too, but I wonder if they will hang on to the old green bridge or if they will just pull it down. Housing is expanding as well. I was amazed at how much development has gone on in the north part of the city. As you travel up Confederation Way, you can see more and more houses, apartment buildings, and infrastructure springing up on either side of you. I think the last time a census was done, the population was pegged at ~ 80,000 people. I imagine it's still pretty close to that number now. Oh and they completed a ring road of the downtown core along the Snye. There are tons of apartment buildings springing up along the banks there too.
One of the new things a visitor has to get used to in McMurray is the ban on providing plastic bags to customers when they go shopping. In an effort to be more eco friendly, the city has decided to ban the use of the disposable plastic bags that are provided to you when you purchase goods. An example would be the bags that Safeway gives you when you go shopping. Everywhere you go, you must provide your own bags or purchase one of the reusable kind from the store you're at. That was a little weird to get used to - especially when you're at Canadian Tire with armful of stuff and have to buy a reusable cloth bag that you probably won't need outside of McMurray. Oh sure, I could use it here in Calgary when I go shopping but the convenience of letting the store provide me with a free bag far outweighs the hassle of bringing a cloth bag with me everywhere I go just in case I might like to buy something. Needless to say I looked a little weird carrying out an armful of goods (unbagged) from Canadian Tire. I'm just glad they didn't ask me to fish out my receipt from my pocket on the way out of the store. Now that would have been tricky. I was glad for the nice weather for more than the pleasant atmosphere it provided while I was visiting. It allowed me to help my mom take care of some much needed outdoor chores as well. I managed to mow, rake and clean up her front and back lawn. I also managed to paint her flower boxes, front railing and divider, as well as her garbage bin that sits street side. I think those two activities alone helped with her curb appeal. On the inside, we spent some time installing a new printer for her, cleaning up her basement, as well as setting up some new bedding on the beds in her guest rooms. Since I had some extra time we made a run to the dump to get rid of some excess stuff she had been hanging on to as well I managed to take her car to the car wash. Nothing major, but all the little things add up and I hope I was able to help her out with the time I had for her. In between chores we even managed to get in a nice visit!
I know there is a bunch of stuff still left to tackle, but I plan to go up again in October to spend some more time on the things that I missed. Hopefully this all helps to sell her place quicker so that she can move closer and the visits won't have to be so far and few between.
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