A few moments at work to catch up on all the details as I still do not have access to high speed although.....we are getting closer. I called Eastlink today and was given the first appointment they had for June 11th to have a tech come out and test for signal and hopefully hook up the wireless. If that isn't possible there are three other steps they can take. Mind you, they won't give you a time but it's either morning or afternoon. I said "Not a problem, I WILL be here". And with the installation and first month cost it's $166 so you have to give the tech the cheque which will be waiting!
Speaking of technology if you can believe it...the shore captain has lost another cell phone. Apparently he was 'putting lobsters under'in the tank house and lost his footing and the phone flew out of his pocket. This would only be the 8th one in the past 18 months so is quite a routine experience really. Good thing the tank house isn't deep if he's that unsteady on his feet.
Daughter # 2 is having a great time doing her substitute teaching in the city. She's been all over from Lake Echo to Hammonds Plains and has this week at a city school she volunteered at. She is applying all the education she gained and is picking up all sorts of new skills. Good to be enjoying the career you've chosen.
The happy couple are coming to meet with the minister this weekend. There is of course the bridal shower to be attended so that will be only a part of our social life as I got a call from friends from the city who are planning to come visit on Saturday. So it will be nice to have my friend be able to attend as well so we can get caught up, haven't seen them in a while.
My major crisis was that cleaning lady had hurt her back as a Medical First Responder and hasn't visited (as is obvious by the state of the house) in two weeks. I put in a frantic call for help and she has recovered and agreed to come on Friday after I sleep for a few hours. So, I'm much relieved as I dare to have guests now. It only took three hours of dedicated digging to find surfaces for her to clean.
It's been a good night and I've been orientating a new graduate nurse who is (gasp) only 21 - the age of my youngest daughter in a few weeks. With the extra hands and a relatively slow workload it's been rather pleasant night. Unfortunately it is looking like a beautiful day so a bit more of a challenge to ignore and go to sleep, but I will give it my best shot.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
June bugs and more
Yes, yes, yes I survived (and passed) the TNCC (trauma nursing) course this weekend. It was one of the tougher ones I’ve done and with a pass of 70% for the skills and 80% for the theory exam; it was a nail biter as I waited for the instructor to correct my exam. I was thrilled with my mark of 92 and in truth would have been ecstatic with an 80 if it let me out of the situation. Although I’d spent two years in the nurses’ residence 35 years ago, it was a long two nights this time. The material was challenging, the hours were long and I was questioning my sanity on jumping at the chance to do the course. When I learned that the program cost about $400, I got to keep the textbook and the certification is good for four years, I brightened up a bit. A former colleague and I got to catch up on the news and agree that we are most pleased to not be doing the office jobs we were in previously. We also got a very brief (20 minute) shop in at Frenchy’s where I managed to score amongst other finds a virtually new suitcase and some boxers with fish on them for the boy wonder. We headed over to Zellers to find the TIDE listed in the flyer and I snagged a mattress cover for half price, bath sheets for $7 and two pillows for less than $3 each. Great buys were to be had as well at Staples and I picked up a portable hard drive to back up my photos and add some space to the netbook.
Speaking of the netbook (which I took with me for the weekend) when I checked my email while sitting outside the library which is something that makes me mad at Eastlink each and every time I do it…I had two messages on Facebook where I was dissing Eastlnk from neighbours telling me that the 27th we can start calling for high speed connection. I’m not sure which month or even year they mean but if it really is Thursday I will be celebrating! And hopefully calling for connection actually results in same. All digits crossed.
Today on my way home I stopped again at Staples as I was having trouble getting my external hard drive to do what I thought it should and the tech advised that netbooks are special and spent about 20 minutes getting mine all set up. I was most impressed with his abilities (you should trust a tall, think, geeky looking guy with glasses to know what to do with computers) and now have quite the technology toys (kind of like collecting miniatures) in a small bag. In fact, I showed the ebook reader to the shore captain this evening and I can guarantee you that it is extremely simple and user friendly as he selected a classic novel and began to read it. I shut out the light and retrieved it from the bed just a few minutes ago – good thing that it bookmarks itself – which is as exciting as birthdays get during spring lobstering for a 54 year old.
I had stopped at Superstore to pick up steaks for the BBQ on the way and as I headed to the quick checkout there was a man holding a carton of whipping cream and carrying on a conversation with another about lobstering. He offered to let me go first as I had an armful and continued his chat, when he fell into line behind me I said “wow, you catch as many lobsters as my husband on the phone” so he replied “oh, it’s that time of year” and laughed. When I headed out to the car he was parked next to me and asked “where does your husband lobster?” after we exchanged information and I named the life partner he said “oh you’re the nurse” and it came to me that as a new graduate (34 years ago now) I had taken this fellow after a car accident and head/neck injuries to the city on an ambulance trip. When I recalled our shared history, he chuckled and said “that’s why you look so familiar” to which I replied “you were a lucky young fellow that night”. It was a strange closing of the circle to meet up with one of the first trauma cases I dealt with after doing the trauma course this weekend.
After returning home this p.m. I took the dog out for a walk and as we were almost to the driveway I noticed a passing familiar vehicle which belongs to one of our ER docs. Apparently it’s some kind of Cadillac SUV according to the prodigal son, although I noticed the ‘foreign plates’ as the Dr. was out for a Sunday drive after church. He turned around and came back for a chat so I invited him in for a house tour (of a less than clean domicile due to leaving it to the care of two males for the weekend) and we had a nice chat. He was most impressed with the shore captain’s design and craftsman abilities.
Well, since my days off were spent in academic pursuits I found myself returning to work again this morning but at least the comfort of time and a half consoles me. Ugh June bugs on my doorstep this a.m. Later.
Speaking of the netbook (which I took with me for the weekend) when I checked my email while sitting outside the library which is something that makes me mad at Eastlink each and every time I do it…I had two messages on Facebook where I was dissing Eastlnk from neighbours telling me that the 27th we can start calling for high speed connection. I’m not sure which month or even year they mean but if it really is Thursday I will be celebrating! And hopefully calling for connection actually results in same. All digits crossed.
Today on my way home I stopped again at Staples as I was having trouble getting my external hard drive to do what I thought it should and the tech advised that netbooks are special and spent about 20 minutes getting mine all set up. I was most impressed with his abilities (you should trust a tall, think, geeky looking guy with glasses to know what to do with computers) and now have quite the technology toys (kind of like collecting miniatures) in a small bag. In fact, I showed the ebook reader to the shore captain this evening and I can guarantee you that it is extremely simple and user friendly as he selected a classic novel and began to read it. I shut out the light and retrieved it from the bed just a few minutes ago – good thing that it bookmarks itself – which is as exciting as birthdays get during spring lobstering for a 54 year old.
I had stopped at Superstore to pick up steaks for the BBQ on the way and as I headed to the quick checkout there was a man holding a carton of whipping cream and carrying on a conversation with another about lobstering. He offered to let me go first as I had an armful and continued his chat, when he fell into line behind me I said “wow, you catch as many lobsters as my husband on the phone” so he replied “oh, it’s that time of year” and laughed. When I headed out to the car he was parked next to me and asked “where does your husband lobster?” after we exchanged information and I named the life partner he said “oh you’re the nurse” and it came to me that as a new graduate (34 years ago now) I had taken this fellow after a car accident and head/neck injuries to the city on an ambulance trip. When I recalled our shared history, he chuckled and said “that’s why you look so familiar” to which I replied “you were a lucky young fellow that night”. It was a strange closing of the circle to meet up with one of the first trauma cases I dealt with after doing the trauma course this weekend.
After returning home this p.m. I took the dog out for a walk and as we were almost to the driveway I noticed a passing familiar vehicle which belongs to one of our ER docs. Apparently it’s some kind of Cadillac SUV according to the prodigal son, although I noticed the ‘foreign plates’ as the Dr. was out for a Sunday drive after church. He turned around and came back for a chat so I invited him in for a house tour (of a less than clean domicile due to leaving it to the care of two males for the weekend) and we had a nice chat. He was most impressed with the shore captain’s design and craftsman abilities.
Well, since my days off were spent in academic pursuits I found myself returning to work again this morning but at least the comfort of time and a half consoles me. Ugh June bugs on my doorstep this a.m. Later.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Long weekend but not free
Well, although yesterday by all accounts should’ve been a ‘great sleep day’ it did not turn out to be so. I no longer have small children or babysitters to blame for interrupting my day sleep and the day was one of those dreary rainy ones which are best slept through but….after doing all the required day sleep planning (shutting off the phone and leaving a message, putting up the dark window blind, sticking signs on the door warning any approachers that I was hibernating, putting in my ear plugs and setting the white noise machine on) then crawling into bed at 8:30 a.m. I promptly became unconscious until….2 p.m. and that was it. There was no more sleep to be had. I stayed horizontal until 3 p.m. in hopes that I might drift back to sleep but not the case so was up until this a.m. Last night was one of those really long nights. I am not usually amongst the ranks of my co-workers who sleep poorly during the day but did identify with them last night. I had returned from the NSNU Bargaining Conference by 8 p.m. on Monday night and managed to sleep in Tuesday morning so I really shouldn’t whine.
It appears that this may be a ‘hard bargaining year’ according to the union president due to the economy and government cutbacks so as usual I am heading into the union situation during exciting times. I was amazed at the many things I learned in my first conference and so must try to find a few minutes to type up some minutes for my union sistas. We haven’t been active locally for a few years so have been out of the loop with the finer details. A good use for my talents and outlet for my angst about ‘being invisible’ as I told my coworkers last night after reading a story in the local newspaper celebrating the recruitment drive which had netted six new RNs (in addition I would make seven as there were three hired before I moved over and three after) during the past year. It is a rather free feeling to think that if I don’t exist I can’t be called to task for some of my actions and not being tied to a ‘return of service agreement’ means I am without encumbrances.
Last night was nonstop so that did not afford a chance to succumb to the sleep deprivation and it was a good (long in the tooth crew) which at least meant no worries about watching your back or not knowing the players. And since none of us had lost the ability to laugh (even at ourselves) it was less painful than it sounds. They assured me that (with the latest hoopla over recruitment) I was completely reabsorbed back into the fold of long term, underappreciated staff who loved me. Ha! Who needs a reception when you can order out from A-1 pizza and have it delivered?
The shore captain headed down to the city for meetings today and the plan is to seek a father of the bride suit with the bride’s consultation after his meetings finish. Since he had to be sent back to remove his grey work socks and exchange them for dark socks to go with the black shirt and pants which he wore for the graduation…it is always wise to have a fashion advisor accompany him for such important events as there will be photographic evidence of his choices.
Since I have just regained consciousness, put on a loaf of brown bread, made some supper for the rally truck mechanic aka only son and excavated some of the debris left by two males cohabiting with me, I am now off to provision this place (and seek high-speed internet access to post this) in less remote locale. Groceries in house are required as I am headed out for my TNCC (trauma nursing) course tomorrow pm. The schedule is Friday evening 6 – 9:30 p.m. and 8am – 6 pm Saturday and Sunday which is a full way to spend the long weekend in May eh? Not much time in there for a Frenchy’s shop but I will have time to catch up with a former work team mate who has snagged a 60% position in ER after bailing from the previous circus as I did. He summed it up when he emailed “all I get is chest pain when I look back to that time now”. I head back to work on Monday morning for a LD, the first of my four shifts. There were murmurings from a coworker last night who was spontaneously offered to switch my day on Monday for a LN but she would “let me know” and after I woke up today it occurred to me that this likely had to do as much with the 12 hrs of holiday premium to be earned as her wanting to ‘give me a break’ as she proposed it. Whatever – let me know.
A friend asked if I am enjoying my Kobo ebook reader and the answer is yes but I just need to find some time to actually read the books I’ve downloaded and Kobo zendesk (yes that is the name) can’t help with that. Although they are amongst the most professional and efficient group of techs I’ve encountered as the term ‘help desk’ should sometimes be prefaced with an un!
It appears that this may be a ‘hard bargaining year’ according to the union president due to the economy and government cutbacks so as usual I am heading into the union situation during exciting times. I was amazed at the many things I learned in my first conference and so must try to find a few minutes to type up some minutes for my union sistas. We haven’t been active locally for a few years so have been out of the loop with the finer details. A good use for my talents and outlet for my angst about ‘being invisible’ as I told my coworkers last night after reading a story in the local newspaper celebrating the recruitment drive which had netted six new RNs (in addition I would make seven as there were three hired before I moved over and three after) during the past year. It is a rather free feeling to think that if I don’t exist I can’t be called to task for some of my actions and not being tied to a ‘return of service agreement’ means I am without encumbrances.
Last night was nonstop so that did not afford a chance to succumb to the sleep deprivation and it was a good (long in the tooth crew) which at least meant no worries about watching your back or not knowing the players. And since none of us had lost the ability to laugh (even at ourselves) it was less painful than it sounds. They assured me that (with the latest hoopla over recruitment) I was completely reabsorbed back into the fold of long term, underappreciated staff who loved me. Ha! Who needs a reception when you can order out from A-1 pizza and have it delivered?
The shore captain headed down to the city for meetings today and the plan is to seek a father of the bride suit with the bride’s consultation after his meetings finish. Since he had to be sent back to remove his grey work socks and exchange them for dark socks to go with the black shirt and pants which he wore for the graduation…it is always wise to have a fashion advisor accompany him for such important events as there will be photographic evidence of his choices.
Since I have just regained consciousness, put on a loaf of brown bread, made some supper for the rally truck mechanic aka only son and excavated some of the debris left by two males cohabiting with me, I am now off to provision this place (and seek high-speed internet access to post this) in less remote locale. Groceries in house are required as I am headed out for my TNCC (trauma nursing) course tomorrow pm. The schedule is Friday evening 6 – 9:30 p.m. and 8am – 6 pm Saturday and Sunday which is a full way to spend the long weekend in May eh? Not much time in there for a Frenchy’s shop but I will have time to catch up with a former work team mate who has snagged a 60% position in ER after bailing from the previous circus as I did. He summed it up when he emailed “all I get is chest pain when I look back to that time now”. I head back to work on Monday morning for a LD, the first of my four shifts. There were murmurings from a coworker last night who was spontaneously offered to switch my day on Monday for a LN but she would “let me know” and after I woke up today it occurred to me that this likely had to do as much with the 12 hrs of holiday premium to be earned as her wanting to ‘give me a break’ as she proposed it. Whatever – let me know.
A friend asked if I am enjoying my Kobo ebook reader and the answer is yes but I just need to find some time to actually read the books I’ve downloaded and Kobo zendesk (yes that is the name) can’t help with that. Although they are amongst the most professional and efficient group of techs I’ve encountered as the term ‘help desk’ should sometimes be prefaced with an un!
Monday, May 17, 2010
Serendipity moment
A quick update as I ready myself to head over to the NSNU Bargaining Conference here in Truro which is being held at a different hotel than the one we're booked in to stay at. Since I'm only here for one day I'm not too worried about the accomodations and this one does have highspeed internet access which is a plus for me.
The serendipity moment is that as NSNU members we are booked in to share a double room (something I'd actually forgotten about until checking in when I was told that my room mate had already arrived) here at the Best Western. Last evening I came through the door and started to introduce myself to the vaguely familiar looking individual sitting on one of the beds when it occurred at the same time to both of us that we in fact knew each other and used to work together in Goose Bay in the late 1970s. She was a British midwife/nurse who started work at the Melville Hospital there a few weeks before me in 1977. Apparently she had moved out to Nova Scotia buying a place in Italy Cross 5 or 6 years ago and works with the VON in Queens County. We knew a few of the same folks in VON (from my Homecare NS days) and mostly caught up on the Labarador news so it was a quick evening and a short night. Funny we hadn't run into each other since we're not that far apart and she is just down the road from the friend/butcher in Italy Cross which I used to visit, so I even knew which house was hers when she described it. What a small world!
Stopped for a quick visit with daughter # 2 on my way through Hammonds Plains last night to drop off lobsters and attempt (unsuccessfully) to pull up the back window which wouldn't close. Apparently my future son-in-law has a stronger grip and so now it is taped in place awaiting the attentions of his at work mechanic buddy. If not I'll take the beast home tonight and her father will return it on Thursday when he's down for fishery meetings and suit buying. Vehicles are such a necessary nuisance it seems.
Off to find out what is in store for the upcoming negotiations and then heading home this evening as it's back to a LN tomorrow. Later
The serendipity moment is that as NSNU members we are booked in to share a double room (something I'd actually forgotten about until checking in when I was told that my room mate had already arrived) here at the Best Western. Last evening I came through the door and started to introduce myself to the vaguely familiar looking individual sitting on one of the beds when it occurred at the same time to both of us that we in fact knew each other and used to work together in Goose Bay in the late 1970s. She was a British midwife/nurse who started work at the Melville Hospital there a few weeks before me in 1977. Apparently she had moved out to Nova Scotia buying a place in Italy Cross 5 or 6 years ago and works with the VON in Queens County. We knew a few of the same folks in VON (from my Homecare NS days) and mostly caught up on the Labarador news so it was a quick evening and a short night. Funny we hadn't run into each other since we're not that far apart and she is just down the road from the friend/butcher in Italy Cross which I used to visit, so I even knew which house was hers when she described it. What a small world!
Stopped for a quick visit with daughter # 2 on my way through Hammonds Plains last night to drop off lobsters and attempt (unsuccessfully) to pull up the back window which wouldn't close. Apparently my future son-in-law has a stronger grip and so now it is taped in place awaiting the attentions of his at work mechanic buddy. If not I'll take the beast home tonight and her father will return it on Thursday when he's down for fishery meetings and suit buying. Vehicles are such a necessary nuisance it seems.
Off to find out what is in store for the upcoming negotiations and then heading home this evening as it's back to a LN tomorrow. Later
Friday, May 14, 2010
Self rewarding is good
A quick update as I am in the land of high-speed access as I run errands this morning. Picking up a few thing and printing photos – what fun are pictures if you can’t share them eh? Managed to treat myself with a quesadilla and Cape Light smoothie from Dan's while I was at it. Yum.
Yesterday I attended a union meeting and while in the land of accessible technology was able to download my e-book which I had purchased – The Bishops Man by Linden McIntyre. This was accomplished by downloading the Adobe Digital Edition and then attempting to use the Kobo icon to transfer the book to my e-reader as I had gotten it as far as my laptop (in less than 1 min I might brag) but that wasn’t where I wanted to read it from. For those of you who should be heading towards such a thing as an e-reader (and no it is not a 6 ft. tall attractive man who reads you stories in a sexy voice as suggested by one of the Dr. I worked with last week) apparently there has been some kind of a ‘bug’ with Windows XP so it wasn’t something I was doing incorrectly which I learned when I called the helpdesk (one of the more aptly named groups at Kobo compared to Bell for example). The tech talked me through the transfer with Adobe (extremely simple) and sent me along a new link to the Kobo reader. And if you are going to download books from other than Kobo ex. Amazon etc. then you do need the Adobe anyway, so I’m all set up. As my (good thing she’s been a friend since age 3 years old) friend asked “how did you download that book when you don’t have high-speed?” I explained I had visited the internet via the library and assumed she was just jealous – ha! You know you’re determined when you buy an e-book reader before you even have the ability to access the e-books from your own home. Sigh. This could get to be a habit, although I’ve not given up on reading books which have killed some trees just yet as I picked up Coventry by Helen Humphreys which looks to be a quick read. It’s about the fire bombings during WWII in London and extremely well written.
I am making my way through the trauma course material and a good thing too as the course begins a week from today. I only have two night shifts to work before that as I’m heading off to Truro for a NSNU bargaining conference because this is the year we negotiate a new collective agreement. Proposals are being exchanged between union and provincial employer in September and as one of my co-workers stated “oh, I hope they get things settled soon as it’s so cold standing out on the picket line in the snow like the CUPE folks had to”. I reassured her that the political damage done to the NDP government with that few hour healthcare worker strike this winter is still remembered well and not likely to be repeated any time soon.
And of course on day when I’m feeling sorry for myself I think I just might run away up north and finish out my nursing career as I’m getting my clinical skills up to par because the Mother of the Groom is doing speaking engagements in Nunavut and is in tight with the recruiter there so I have the hookup. Some of these tender feelings come from the new graduate from Ontario who studied in Calgary being asked for her opinion (as if she’s the expert) on how retention in nursing at our facility should be focused, or all those recruited in the past year with $5000 sign on bonuses are being asked to a get-together at the end of the month (which I haven’t heard of – likely because I didn’t get a bonus being already an employee) or hearing the District Nurse Manager yesterday describing how a third year nursing student has already been given the bonus and guaranteed her job when she graduates next year. Call me small minded but regardless of where I find myself on the seniority list the fact remains that of the RNs in our facility I came to work first (of course having left many times I admit) in 1976. Old nurse – not a bad thing to be. Off to the shops. Hasta.
Yesterday I attended a union meeting and while in the land of accessible technology was able to download my e-book which I had purchased – The Bishops Man by Linden McIntyre. This was accomplished by downloading the Adobe Digital Edition and then attempting to use the Kobo icon to transfer the book to my e-reader as I had gotten it as far as my laptop (in less than 1 min I might brag) but that wasn’t where I wanted to read it from. For those of you who should be heading towards such a thing as an e-reader (and no it is not a 6 ft. tall attractive man who reads you stories in a sexy voice as suggested by one of the Dr. I worked with last week) apparently there has been some kind of a ‘bug’ with Windows XP so it wasn’t something I was doing incorrectly which I learned when I called the helpdesk (one of the more aptly named groups at Kobo compared to Bell for example). The tech talked me through the transfer with Adobe (extremely simple) and sent me along a new link to the Kobo reader. And if you are going to download books from other than Kobo ex. Amazon etc. then you do need the Adobe anyway, so I’m all set up. As my (good thing she’s been a friend since age 3 years old) friend asked “how did you download that book when you don’t have high-speed?” I explained I had visited the internet via the library and assumed she was just jealous – ha! You know you’re determined when you buy an e-book reader before you even have the ability to access the e-books from your own home. Sigh. This could get to be a habit, although I’ve not given up on reading books which have killed some trees just yet as I picked up Coventry by Helen Humphreys which looks to be a quick read. It’s about the fire bombings during WWII in London and extremely well written.
I am making my way through the trauma course material and a good thing too as the course begins a week from today. I only have two night shifts to work before that as I’m heading off to Truro for a NSNU bargaining conference because this is the year we negotiate a new collective agreement. Proposals are being exchanged between union and provincial employer in September and as one of my co-workers stated “oh, I hope they get things settled soon as it’s so cold standing out on the picket line in the snow like the CUPE folks had to”. I reassured her that the political damage done to the NDP government with that few hour healthcare worker strike this winter is still remembered well and not likely to be repeated any time soon.
And of course on day when I’m feeling sorry for myself I think I just might run away up north and finish out my nursing career as I’m getting my clinical skills up to par because the Mother of the Groom is doing speaking engagements in Nunavut and is in tight with the recruiter there so I have the hookup. Some of these tender feelings come from the new graduate from Ontario who studied in Calgary being asked for her opinion (as if she’s the expert) on how retention in nursing at our facility should be focused, or all those recruited in the past year with $5000 sign on bonuses are being asked to a get-together at the end of the month (which I haven’t heard of – likely because I didn’t get a bonus being already an employee) or hearing the District Nurse Manager yesterday describing how a third year nursing student has already been given the bonus and guaranteed her job when she graduates next year. Call me small minded but regardless of where I find myself on the seniority list the fact remains that of the RNs in our facility I came to work first (of course having left many times I admit) in 1976. Old nurse – not a bad thing to be. Off to the shops. Hasta.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Asian connection
Ah, a beautiful sunny day off. Doesn’t get much better than that, except for the fact that I have had to type this at home, save to a thumb drive and upload it online in town after my appointment this morning. Oh well, Eastlink has made good (albeit very tardily) on their promise of high-speed internet in Bear Point, a community about 30 minutes from us which is pretty remote itself. There is hope.
Spoke to the baby daughter last night as I happened to catch her on a break from her position as Assistant Manager at Dollarama (which apparently pays 25 cents more an hour than minimum wage and makes her realize just how dumb people can be she says – not entirely sure if she’s referring to the general shopping public or her coworkers) before heading off to a night shift with the homecare company she also works for. Running through the preparations for Stanley’s arrival I was asking about Winston, litter boxes etc. and she says “oh we have a covered one with a flap” which sort of surprised me as Winston is just a small kitten “yeah, he has to get a running start at the door” she says. Good thing he’s determined. She is arranging to have her bridesmaid dress tailored (shortening hems are a usual situation for her in her vertically challenged world) and was having text/phone discussions with the bride to be about dates, her work schedule etc. Apparently the communication had gotten a bit confused and she said to me “I’m sorry but Dollarama doesn’t want me to try to ring in customers at the cash while I’m texting or talking on the phone”. I told her employers are funny like that.
The prodigal son is having a good day on the water by the look of the calm surface in the harbour and he should be well rested. Last night he came home at 6:00 p.m. had a shower, supper and his sutures removed and crashed until this morning. He had indicated his lady friend was going to come and visit (which she did so I woke him up – lasted about 10 minutes) then she realized he was a lost cause (I could’ve told her that) and headed out. It’s a wonder he didn’t have decubiti by this morning. Even at 22, all that social life and trying to go spring lobstering solo caught up with him.
Had a chat with the bride to be as well and she has recovered well from the graduation and all its excitement. Since she now had that BEd in hand she was applying for substitute teaching and had been told by the Halifax school board’s Human Resource department that it could take up to six weeks to process – which would essentially blow the remainder of this school year but….when she put her application in and it became apparent that her degrees were en francais and she was a French teacher there was talk of the process taking a week which lifted her spirits. Later in the day when she checked email….she was in. She’s already booked in for three and a half days over the next week – none of them french yet mind you but ½ day in a resource room and three days of Phys Ed are a good start. I should’ve told her to take a copy of the Coast Guard (local newspaper) with her as one of the subs (an older History/English major) while the kids were in junior high used to do just that for gym while they almost killed each other. At any rate she will now be able to state in an interview when the term positions hopefully come up that she has worked (not just volunteered or practice taught) for that board. When I asked what she’d make per diem as a substitute teacher she had no idea but I’m thinking we’re lucky that she didn’t offer to pay herself for the opportunity as she’s going to be able to TEACH!! When it’s something you’ve wanted to do since grade 2 when Mrs. Goreham was a good role model there you go. I did chat at Sobeys with one of her high school teachers who tells me that sub rate is $160 per day with $20 off for union dues etc. so it beats sitting home.
Wedding plans continue moving forward after the crisis of last week where the caterer was unable to commit as he has a catering contract for seven weeks with movies which are filming in Nova Scotia. A backup plan is in place so no worries. Remembering that we discovered the day before our wedding that we had no chairs for the church vestry and my father had to swallow his pride to phone someone who had been a thorn in his side on municipal council issues and ask for chairs made me realize how these things work. Not to mention the ferry which we were moving back to Labrador on sunk after hitting an iceberg off Newfoundland on our wedding day so we wandered through Cape Breton and Newfoundland for about 10 days camping while we waited for CN to put on another ferry. We were one of about 12 passengers and a very spooked crew as snow squalls swirled and ice bergs slid by off Twillingate on the ‘first boat of the season’ into Goose Bay in mid June 1977. But I digress.
Had a phone call from the oldest daughter saying that when she comes home to be the maid of honor at her sister’s wedding that she will be staying on in the city to study the ‘teach English abroad’ course which is being held every weekend in July. Oxford Seminars will find you a job as soon as you finish but she plans to head off for South Korea or China in September. She’ll be able to pick up temp work, call center shifts or the like for the summer. She had arranged to stay with a friend of her sisters’ in the city who is located quite close to Dal where the course is being held so had all the details worked out. Last day of work with the bank is June 11th and she is settling her apartment, travel plans etc. Off to the next life adventure chapter with enough savings to enroll full time for a year towards completing her BBA when she returns. When I mentioned to her father that we should save our pennies for a visit to Asia next year he said “oh we won’t likely get there” and I chose not to make the following comment as he was stressed about the CFIA (federal food inspection agency) plant inspection in the morning but I thought “well perhaps you think you won’t but I most definitely will be”. I simply named several (not particularly well traveled co-workers) who had traveled to Korea to visit children and mentioned reasonable air fares they had obtained. He exited to review his QMP manual as I pondered how to pick up a speaking engagement on an Asian cruise as well.
I stayed up last night to finish reading Beach Glass, by Anita Shreve and it was a good book. I’ve read a few of her novels and hadn’t yet found one to compare to The Pilots Wife but this one sure did. I’m a sucker for stories set in another time anyway. Should’ve been studying for the Trauma course but my rationale last night was that I don’t retain the information – only 10 days left so I must put aside the excuses and pick up the textbook.
Well, after a massage, shop at Frenchy’s where I scored a number of excellent finds, a power shop at the dollar store which is relocating so ½ of $1 can’t be beat and picking up a few groceries, I am now here at the library picking up the library book which I ordered in and grumbling with one of my neighbours about Eastlink as we share the high-speed. Homeward bound. Hasta.
Spoke to the baby daughter last night as I happened to catch her on a break from her position as Assistant Manager at Dollarama (which apparently pays 25 cents more an hour than minimum wage and makes her realize just how dumb people can be she says – not entirely sure if she’s referring to the general shopping public or her coworkers) before heading off to a night shift with the homecare company she also works for. Running through the preparations for Stanley’s arrival I was asking about Winston, litter boxes etc. and she says “oh we have a covered one with a flap” which sort of surprised me as Winston is just a small kitten “yeah, he has to get a running start at the door” she says. Good thing he’s determined. She is arranging to have her bridesmaid dress tailored (shortening hems are a usual situation for her in her vertically challenged world) and was having text/phone discussions with the bride to be about dates, her work schedule etc. Apparently the communication had gotten a bit confused and she said to me “I’m sorry but Dollarama doesn’t want me to try to ring in customers at the cash while I’m texting or talking on the phone”. I told her employers are funny like that.
The prodigal son is having a good day on the water by the look of the calm surface in the harbour and he should be well rested. Last night he came home at 6:00 p.m. had a shower, supper and his sutures removed and crashed until this morning. He had indicated his lady friend was going to come and visit (which she did so I woke him up – lasted about 10 minutes) then she realized he was a lost cause (I could’ve told her that) and headed out. It’s a wonder he didn’t have decubiti by this morning. Even at 22, all that social life and trying to go spring lobstering solo caught up with him.
Had a chat with the bride to be as well and she has recovered well from the graduation and all its excitement. Since she now had that BEd in hand she was applying for substitute teaching and had been told by the Halifax school board’s Human Resource department that it could take up to six weeks to process – which would essentially blow the remainder of this school year but….when she put her application in and it became apparent that her degrees were en francais and she was a French teacher there was talk of the process taking a week which lifted her spirits. Later in the day when she checked email….she was in. She’s already booked in for three and a half days over the next week – none of them french yet mind you but ½ day in a resource room and three days of Phys Ed are a good start. I should’ve told her to take a copy of the Coast Guard (local newspaper) with her as one of the subs (an older History/English major) while the kids were in junior high used to do just that for gym while they almost killed each other. At any rate she will now be able to state in an interview when the term positions hopefully come up that she has worked (not just volunteered or practice taught) for that board. When I asked what she’d make per diem as a substitute teacher she had no idea but I’m thinking we’re lucky that she didn’t offer to pay herself for the opportunity as she’s going to be able to TEACH!! When it’s something you’ve wanted to do since grade 2 when Mrs. Goreham was a good role model there you go. I did chat at Sobeys with one of her high school teachers who tells me that sub rate is $160 per day with $20 off for union dues etc. so it beats sitting home.
Wedding plans continue moving forward after the crisis of last week where the caterer was unable to commit as he has a catering contract for seven weeks with movies which are filming in Nova Scotia. A backup plan is in place so no worries. Remembering that we discovered the day before our wedding that we had no chairs for the church vestry and my father had to swallow his pride to phone someone who had been a thorn in his side on municipal council issues and ask for chairs made me realize how these things work. Not to mention the ferry which we were moving back to Labrador on sunk after hitting an iceberg off Newfoundland on our wedding day so we wandered through Cape Breton and Newfoundland for about 10 days camping while we waited for CN to put on another ferry. We were one of about 12 passengers and a very spooked crew as snow squalls swirled and ice bergs slid by off Twillingate on the ‘first boat of the season’ into Goose Bay in mid June 1977. But I digress.
Had a phone call from the oldest daughter saying that when she comes home to be the maid of honor at her sister’s wedding that she will be staying on in the city to study the ‘teach English abroad’ course which is being held every weekend in July. Oxford Seminars will find you a job as soon as you finish but she plans to head off for South Korea or China in September. She’ll be able to pick up temp work, call center shifts or the like for the summer. She had arranged to stay with a friend of her sisters’ in the city who is located quite close to Dal where the course is being held so had all the details worked out. Last day of work with the bank is June 11th and she is settling her apartment, travel plans etc. Off to the next life adventure chapter with enough savings to enroll full time for a year towards completing her BBA when she returns. When I mentioned to her father that we should save our pennies for a visit to Asia next year he said “oh we won’t likely get there” and I chose not to make the following comment as he was stressed about the CFIA (federal food inspection agency) plant inspection in the morning but I thought “well perhaps you think you won’t but I most definitely will be”. I simply named several (not particularly well traveled co-workers) who had traveled to Korea to visit children and mentioned reasonable air fares they had obtained. He exited to review his QMP manual as I pondered how to pick up a speaking engagement on an Asian cruise as well.
I stayed up last night to finish reading Beach Glass, by Anita Shreve and it was a good book. I’ve read a few of her novels and hadn’t yet found one to compare to The Pilots Wife but this one sure did. I’m a sucker for stories set in another time anyway. Should’ve been studying for the Trauma course but my rationale last night was that I don’t retain the information – only 10 days left so I must put aside the excuses and pick up the textbook.
Well, after a massage, shop at Frenchy’s where I scored a number of excellent finds, a power shop at the dollar store which is relocating so ½ of $1 can’t be beat and picking up a few groceries, I am now here at the library picking up the library book which I ordered in and grumbling with one of my neighbours about Eastlink as we share the high-speed. Homeward bound. Hasta.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Of grads and cathouses
Every person dies. Not every person really lives. ~ William Wallace
Well, since it has been ten, very busy (even by our household standards) days since I last updated you it would seem time to catch up on the news. As I was mentioning in the previous post I did work my LN, sleep, get up and volunteer at bingo and then do a LD on the following morning. Mind you, I whined so bad at bingo that they allowed me to go home early and I was so anxious to escape that I forgot to take my 'free' cheeseburger with me. When I answered the phone shortly after I got home to hear the Deputy Fire Chief's voice I said "I know, I know, I forgot my burger" so he promised to bring it right down. When he arrived I said "who says we don't have take out/delivery here in the country eh?" After my LD on Sunday (which was pretty hectic) I came home and shortly began to feel REALLY bad.
I soon discovered that I had picked up a stomach bug and I will spare you all the gorey details but suffice to say that it was 24 hours of extreme unpleasantness. And a hard way to lose 5 pounds. Mind you, I tried on my M.O.B. suit and it still fits so it wasn't for naught. But having spent my three days off being ill was no fun, especially with my long to-do list. Added to that was the fact that one of those evenings I attended a union meeting at my workplace and volunteered to be president of the local union (which has been defunct for years) so now I'll be president for life I'm told. And the final afternoon of my days off I spent waiting for three hours in the busy waiting room of the Emergency Department as the boy wonder had gotten hit in the forehead with a lobster trap and required five sutures to close the cut, as well as a large bruise on his cheek. Was lucky it wasn't worse. When I asked him how he knew it required stitching (as they don't have mirrors on fishing boats) he said "when I stuck my head out of the window of the wheelhouse the wind made the edges flap" It has healed nicely despite a dousing with transmission fluid this afternoon. But I digress. I was very unimpressed with the performance of a guy who arrived with apparently the norovirus I was still recovering from and quite a show he put on. I pondered the fact that I had been too sick to go to the hospital when I was having the virus. But as one of my coworkers stated "he had man pain though, that is the worst kind".
I did a little dance of my own mind you when I returned from town and found a parcel card for my Kobo e-book reader which had finally arrived. The card required a signature and although it had been shipped priority post was several days late. I tried to negotiate a settlement with the postal clerk to no avail so I made negative comments about her employer and hung up. Added to the pain was the voice mail from the library telling me that a book was also in town for me. I elected NOT to retrace my steps and muttered to myself instead.
On Thursday when I headed in for the LD I drove and delegated the LPN aka friend to be first in line when the post office opened in the morning - much like those waiting for their social assistance cheques - as I was unable to leave work due to staffing requirements. I can now report that the Kobo e-book reader is even more wonderful than I had anticipated and I have begun to read one of the preloaded books to familiarize myself with the new technology. Friday was a busy, busy day and so I was glad to have Saturday booked off.
Saturday was sp
ent traveling to, attending and returning from a graduation at Universite Sainte Anne where David Suzuki was the keynote speaker and yes he did have his clothes on. As the shore captain commented that he was "pretty evangelical" but he is forgetting that there are a few of us who have seen him, himself speaking at fisheries meetings so no reply was needed for that. We had a very nice supper at Chez Christophe and thoroughly enjoyed the rappie pie (an Acadian delicacy) as well as the pie, oh the pie.
We returned to find the prodigal son was suffering from the ever popular norovirus and I could certainly empathize with how he felt. I thought to myself 'I should've lit a candle at the cathedral to ensure the shore captain doesn't get this stuff'. A very quiet evening to unwind except that Keely was so impressed to find daughter # 2 home that she did a version of her "Indianapolis 500 race" around the furniture to entertain us. Hard to believe she's 10 this year. Especially the next morning when she was no where to be found when we got up. Apparently the shore captain had let her out and couldn't remember (dementia rearing it's ugly head) if he had clipped her on her run. She appeared around the front of the house after apparently having had a romp and a swim of several hours duration. She must wait in anticipation when it's him letting her out.
Today the major construction project was the cat house which was constructe
d for Gary. The only problem with it is that he refuses to go in it, not even when tempted with the kitty treats he is addicted to. I think he fears it is a cat carrier. This is a puzzle as he also loves to squeeze his very chubby body into the smallest of places. Might have been due to the breezy conditions as he enjoys the outdoors except for when the winds blows in his ears. Here you can see the attempt at enticing him - to no avail.
The art of being wise is knowing what to overlook. ~ William James
Well, since it has been ten, very busy (even by our household standards) days since I last updated you it would seem time to catch up on the news. As I was mentioning in the previous post I did work my LN, sleep, get up and volunteer at bingo and then do a LD on the following morning. Mind you, I whined so bad at bingo that they allowed me to go home early and I was so anxious to escape that I forgot to take my 'free' cheeseburger with me. When I answered the phone shortly after I got home to hear the Deputy Fire Chief's voice I said "I know, I know, I forgot my burger" so he promised to bring it right down. When he arrived I said "who says we don't have take out/delivery here in the country eh?" After my LD on Sunday (which was pretty hectic) I came home and shortly began to feel REALLY bad.
I soon discovered that I had picked up a stomach bug and I will spare you all the gorey details but suffice to say that it was 24 hours of extreme unpleasantness. And a hard way to lose 5 pounds. Mind you, I tried on my M.O.B. suit and it still fits so it wasn't for naught. But having spent my three days off being ill was no fun, especially with my long to-do list. Added to that was the fact that one of those evenings I attended a union meeting at my workplace and volunteered to be president of the local union (which has been defunct for years) so now I'll be president for life I'm told. And the final afternoon of my days off I spent waiting for three hours in the busy waiting room of the Emergency Department as the boy wonder had gotten hit in the forehead with a lobster trap and required five sutures to close the cut, as well as a large bruise on his cheek. Was lucky it wasn't worse. When I asked him how he knew it required stitching (as they don't have mirrors on fishing boats) he said "when I stuck my head out of the window of the wheelhouse the wind made the edges flap" It has healed nicely despite a dousing with transmission fluid this afternoon. But I digress. I was very unimpressed with the performance of a guy who arrived with apparently the norovirus I was still recovering from and quite a show he put on. I pondered the fact that I had been too sick to go to the hospital when I was having the virus. But as one of my coworkers stated "he had man pain though, that is the worst kind".
I did a little dance of my own mind you when I returned from town and found a parcel card for my Kobo e-book reader which had finally arrived. The card required a signature and although it had been shipped priority post was several days late. I tried to negotiate a settlement with the postal clerk to no avail so I made negative comments about her employer and hung up. Added to the pain was the voice mail from the library telling me that a book was also in town for me. I elected NOT to retrace my steps and muttered to myself instead.
On Thursday when I headed in for the LD I drove and delegated the LPN aka friend to be first in line when the post office opened in the morning - much like those waiting for their social assistance cheques - as I was unable to leave work due to staffing requirements. I can now report that the Kobo e-book reader is even more wonderful than I had anticipated and I have begun to read one of the preloaded books to familiarize myself with the new technology. Friday was a busy, busy day and so I was glad to have Saturday booked off.
Saturday was sp
ent traveling to, attending and returning from a graduation at Universite Sainte Anne where David Suzuki was the keynote speaker and yes he did have his clothes on. As the shore captain commented that he was "pretty evangelical" but he is forgetting that there are a few of us who have seen him, himself speaking at fisheries meetings so no reply was needed for that. We had a very nice supper at Chez Christophe and thoroughly enjoyed the rappie pie (an Acadian delicacy) as well as the pie, oh the pie.We returned to find the prodigal son was suffering from the ever popular norovirus and I could certainly empathize with how he felt. I thought to myself 'I should've lit a candle at the cathedral to ensure the shore captain doesn't get this stuff'. A very quiet evening to unwind except that Keely was so impressed to find daughter # 2 home that she did a version of her "Indianapolis 500 race" around the furniture to entertain us. Hard to believe she's 10 this year. Especially the next morning when she was no where to be found when we got up. Apparently the shore captain had let her out and couldn't remember (dementia rearing it's ugly head) if he had clipped her on her run. She appeared around the front of the house after apparently having had a romp and a swim of several hours duration. She must wait in anticipation when it's him letting her out.
Today the major construction project was the cat house which was constructe
d for Gary. The only problem with it is that he refuses to go in it, not even when tempted with the kitty treats he is addicted to. I think he fears it is a cat carrier. This is a puzzle as he also loves to squeeze his very chubby body into the smallest of places. Might have been due to the breezy conditions as he enjoys the outdoors except for when the winds blows in his ears. Here you can see the attempt at enticing him - to no avail.The art of being wise is knowing what to overlook. ~ William James
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Cape Cod - Not
I am just finishing up a night shift, sleep this morning, volunteer at the local bingo this evening and then work (the switched) day shift on Sunday, so a busy weekend. As we wait for the sunrise I can catch you up a bit on developments in my world.
There were tentative plans to accompany the shore captain to Cape Cod in July while he attends Canada/US meetings on fish stocks. This however is not to be as he did not have the dates correct and I requested the third week of July, however....the meetings are the second so...the Nurse Manager had done her best to accomodate my original request (even though I am very close to the bottom of the seniority) but of course the actually needed dates are not able to be gotten off and there would be no point in keeping the week following his meetings as he will be as busy as a one armed paper hanger when he's back and trying to catch up. I think I will console myself by trying to make to Read by the Sea in River John on July 24th if I can't make it to the US:
http://www.readbythesea.ca
Such is the life of a shore captain's wife - I have to make my own entertainment plans.
He's in the dark (if not black) books as he picked up my netbook from the computer shop. And why would I have to take it for repair? Because the Bell turbostick messed up the wi-fi. He calls me on his cell to say "I'll drop it off for you" "as if I have wi-fi at home!" I yell in reply.
My Kobo e-book reader has been shipped from Mississauga but now I am at the mercy of Canada Post which is never a good place to find oneself, as I wait in anticipation. I have been scouting online for free/cheap or can’t live without reads. There are good selections to be had, although I am very averse to even paying .99 for the privilege. Schizophrenia for Dummies just doesn’t happen to be on my ‘must have’ list right now. I will have to sort out the format / downloading issues in the next while.
And in closing...should you wish to travel through a blog here is an interesting link:
http://bb33fr.blogspot.com/
There were tentative plans to accompany the shore captain to Cape Cod in July while he attends Canada/US meetings on fish stocks. This however is not to be as he did not have the dates correct and I requested the third week of July, however....the meetings are the second so...the Nurse Manager had done her best to accomodate my original request (even though I am very close to the bottom of the seniority) but of course the actually needed dates are not able to be gotten off and there would be no point in keeping the week following his meetings as he will be as busy as a one armed paper hanger when he's back and trying to catch up. I think I will console myself by trying to make to Read by the Sea in River John on July 24th if I can't make it to the US:
http://www.readbythesea.ca
Such is the life of a shore captain's wife - I have to make my own entertainment plans.
He's in the dark (if not black) books as he picked up my netbook from the computer shop. And why would I have to take it for repair? Because the Bell turbostick messed up the wi-fi. He calls me on his cell to say "I'll drop it off for you" "as if I have wi-fi at home!" I yell in reply.
My Kobo e-book reader has been shipped from Mississauga but now I am at the mercy of Canada Post which is never a good place to find oneself, as I wait in anticipation. I have been scouting online for free/cheap or can’t live without reads. There are good selections to be had, although I am very averse to even paying .99 for the privilege. Schizophrenia for Dummies just doesn’t happen to be on my ‘must have’ list right now. I will have to sort out the format / downloading issues in the next while.
And in closing...should you wish to travel through a blog here is an interesting link:
http://bb33fr.blogspot.com/
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