We are enjoying a glorious spring, one of the nicest weather wise that I can remember in decades. It is actually rather dry and doesn’t bode well for open fires or getting into the camp this summer if it continues but the sunshine and warm temperatures have been above average. We had our first barbequed burgers of the season last evening (other others with less workaholic spouses have likely been partaking for weeks) as the shore captain actually made it home by 6:30 p.m.
The last day of lobstering today and when I walked the dog this evening I was met by trailer and trucks loaded with wire traps which will be overhauled and stay on land until next November. There have been long days put in this past few weeks as the weather has been “finer than anyone can remember for years”. As the gear is landed and transported to various yards both the shore crew and those on the water are earning their wages. The prodigal son here opted (against the advice of his father or in spite of it) to go alone (as he has all spring) to land his traps declining the crew member his Dad had arranged. This of course means he will make everyone (not just himself) late today so the message to the employee on the wharf who had informed the shore captain on the cell was to “put the hired man aboard that boat for the next load when he comes in and if the boy gives you any lip give him a cuff upside the head”. Not sure what the outcome of that executive decision will be.
The first LN in my set of shifts last week with the new graduate I am orientating was actually rather sedate and she found her way around the unit, never having set foot in the doors before. When I asked how old she was and the reply was “21” which is the soon to be age of my baby daughter, I assured her I actually had been that age once and remembered how it felt the first shift. But the second night was a humdinger – even by this ‘old nurse’ standard and yet she didn’t miss a beat so I have a good feeling she’ll manage just fine. Our two new grads were off to graduate locally from the satellite campus on Friday, to the city on today and write their RN exams on Wednesday so I won’t catch up on the details until we work nights on Thursday again. Keeps you on your toes to have someone young and new with you and I’ve done my best to assure her that I value common sense and flexibility versus spouting back academic theories so we shall see.
The ‘days off’ were spent entertaining. After I came home from that last hectic night shift I napped for a couple of hours and was awakened by the cleaning lady who had graciously agreed to come on Friday although she had plans for the afternoon. So, after I excavated the boy wonders room for her to clean so adults could inhabit for an overnighter, hung some laundry and headed out for groceries, it was time to head home and make supper. The bride to be arrived shortly as they had met with the minister and reviewed the church details and now the situation is becoming more real. She had brought her father’s suit from the tailors and it looks very nice although we elected to NOT have it covered with cat hair so left it in the suit bag. We had a nice evening where she shared her teaching stories as she is substituting and is yet to miss a day since getting her name on the list so has experience from grade primary to five, phys ed and both English and French – all of which will look great on a resume when the jobs are posted.
On Saturday morning we prepared for the bridal shower. This meant I made 20 lb. of lobsters into four and a half loaves of lobster sandwiches while the daughter took the dog for a run then headed out to pick up her aunt as her ride had disappeared. A friend appeared to transport me to the shower and our friends from the city arrived from the city – she to go wit
h us to the shower, he to hang out with the shore captain – and we were off. There was a crowd of over 40 including the groom’s family from the city, wonderful gifts as you can see on the right, and great food with as good a time as you can have at a bridal shower. I managed to get a tear for the gift (which was suggested by the very creative maid of honor) of a frame with a wedding photo of my parents, the shore captain and I on our wedding day and a spot for their picture. The bride to be was thrilled and we were all most appreciative that the groom’s stepmother likes to do things up in style. We arrived home in time to have lobsters and potato salad with our friends, the bride to be and the boy captain who had caught the crustaceans for supper. The two old guys turned in early and my friend and I were an appreciative audience for the bride to be as she checked out her gifts. In the morning those old guys headed down to the Fireman’s breakfast and we ladies treated ourselves to lobster scrambled eggs. We managed to get the favors for the wedding and the ceremony program blocked out before our friend loaded the car for the bride to be and she headed off to tutor in the afternoon. As I waved goodbye first to our friends, then daughter # 2 and enjoyed the alone time while I stripped beds, did laundry, loaded the dishwasher – all those hostess things – I was glad to not be heading in to work on the Monday.I had a nice visit from a coworker and her partner today as they bought 20 lbs of lobster from the shore captain and came out to see the house. We sat in the veranda room until it became apparent that her cat allergies were causing the rash on her arm touching the wicker sofa, so I gave her an allergy pill and they headed off. I made my way to the deck to read the newspaper in the sun, had a little nap where I dreamed I was in St. Tropez but came back to reality and transplanted the pansies I bought at Superstore into the tubs on my front steps. Pansies are tough enough to not have to be babied on those frost warning nights.
My to-do list for the wedding is slowly getting whittled down and I have one flower girl dress to put together, the brother aka usher to be fitted for a suit and some smaller details left. At least the course I’m apparently (according to a phone call from a coworker today) attending in a couple of weeks does not require preparation as it is a one day course about triage. I’m pleased to be able to access it as it is one more thing on my tick list should I decide to run away from home and work elsewhere for a few months. Keeping my options open.
I almost forgot to mention that I called Eastlink last week regarding wireless and…I have an appointment for June11th for a technician to visit, measure the signal and hopefully hook up to high speed. Apparently there are three other things they can try if you aren’t able to get the signal on the first try. The painful part is that the hookup fee is $99 and the monthly costs are $46 so with tax you have to hand over a cheque for $`166 to the tech for installation and first month payment. It is a rip off, but sure beats sitting on the library steps. The ironic part of this story is that the newspaper on the weekend carried a business story where the CEO or owner or some such suit was complaining that Aliant (Bell) was getting money from the government to hook up high speed. Now, if that isn’t the pot calling the kettle black…I feel a letter to the editor coming on, the only problem is that I will have to email it from work BECAUSE Eastlink took lots of taxpayer dollars and has yet to give us high speed. My nerves.
