Still Breathing

I can't believe it's been three years since I accessed or updated this blog, but it's still here! Thought I'd write a little update.

The kids are all doing well and getting on with the business of being grown-ups. They're all working and seem to be happy. We're proud of them all. Sad that three of the five of them live in another province, but at least we're all still in the same country!

Don and I are still working endlessly on home improvements and have a long list of projects on our to-do list. In the past couple of years we've enlarged and improved our gardens, landscaping the front yard and adding some grow boxes for vegetables. We're replacing some windows in the house this month, which will allow us to check off a to-do item that's been pending for about ten years! And we're hoping to renovate the master bedroom next. The only problem with all these projects is that if you have the money, you don't have the time, and if you have the time...well...there's no money!

I changed jobs since my last post.... I decided I really like the slower pace of an elementary school and was ready to take on an easier job. (Slowing down in my "old age -LOL) It's only six hours/day, but the pay rate is higher than my previous position so I make almost the same take home pay. The District had it's budget cut this fall so the province can pay for the Olympics on the backs of the people (who exactly is going to benefit from this again? I think I'm confused....) so there have been job cuts. The dust hasn't settled yet so I don't know if I may be bumped out of my position, but there will probably be quite a bit of movement as people vie for the best they can get.

Meanwhile, Don has lost his job at the paper mill due to cutbacks there. He retrained at one point as a home inspector, but the government brought in new regulations requiring inspectors to buy really expensive licensing and insurance, so he felt it wasn't feasible to continue. Now he's doing handyman work, minor construction, landscaping, home maintenance, etc. But....it's nothing steady that you can count on.

So here we are - at a point in our lives when we should be paying off the last of our long-term debt and preparing to retire, but we're scrambling around, just trying to make ends meet from day to day. And a number of our friends are in the same position. There's something very wrong here.

We have to wonder where it's all going to end. How much worse is it going to get before it gets better?

I guess the good news is.....We're Still Breathing!

BACK AT IT!

It's been ages since I've updated here! I guess we've just been busy! I dug up the perennial garden I have beside the patio, split everything and gave half of it away to my good friend, Maria, then re-planted the rest of it. I still haven't had a chance to get my bulbs in, but hopefully it won't rain too hard this weekend and I'll get to it!

I only have one week left after this at the temporary job I took at Maquinna Elementary. I've enjoyed the change of pace, enjoyed getting home early every day and being able to spend more time in my garden, and with Don, but I'm also kind of looking forward to getting back to the highschool. Getting back into my routine of working out at Curves on my lunch break, seeing my work buddies, and enjoying the older kids. I mean - the little kids are cute and I've enjoyed them too, but they can be kind of annoying. They have stupid little imaginary problems all the time that they want you to fix for them. Like "Jimmy keeps following me" or "She won't let me play with her"........ Teenagers, if they come to you for help usually have an actual, real problem that deserves to have your time devoted to it. I guess I just belong with the older kids.

I feel kind of bad because I've missed quite a bit of time while I've been @ Maquinna. We had Don's cousin's wedding to go to at the beginning of September, I missed time twice for being sick, and now this past weekend I took Friday and Monday off to go to Alberta.

My world-travelling daughter is back home - Hurray! She's back in Canada at least. She's settled in Calgary where she has a good friend from school that she can room with. Don and I went out this past weekend and took all her stored furniture (well, only a dresser really) and her boxes of clothes, books, kitchen stuff, etc. It was wonderful to see her! Calgary seems nice and it's a good neighbourhood and a nice house she's in. She amazes me! She landed Friday afternoon and had 3 job interviews already set up for Monday! She was offered a job right off the bat - and away she goes!

After Don & I got Rachel set up we drove from Calgary north, around Edmonton to Hinton where Brandon is working. We had dinner with him and some of his crew and spent the night there before heading back. Brandon's doing so well - he's growing up so much, and has a really good group of guys to work with. He seems to really be enjoying it.

We left Hinton before sun-up and drove through Jasper at just the right time! We saw sooo much wildlife along the way! We just went through the park gate and saw a beautiful coyote running along side the road, then a little way down Don noticed a whole herd of mountain sheep up on a mountainside. We pulled over and got out the binoculars for a better look and there must have been about 100 of them up there - all spread out over the side of the mountain. A little further along we saw a big bull elk right beside the road, and as we drove through we saw several groups of them - mostly males in singles, or small groups, but we also saw one bull elk with a whole herd of cows - he was bugling and trying to shoo them up the hill, away from the road when we stopped. He was a poor skinny guy - looked way rattier than the rest of the bulls we saw. Don says that's because he's been screwing his brains out - 50 times a day, and hasn't had time to bulk up for winter - he'll probably die this winter. We also saw a lynx (bobcat) run across the road right in front of us, and we even saw a bull moose! WOW!

I was going to add some photos here, but it's late now and I can't remember how to get the uploaded images into my post - check back later......

RELIEF

Well, I'm still home sick. This totally sucks! I can't believe how crappy I feel. Today is Tuesday and I've been sick since Friday afternoon. I wouldn't wish this on anyone. I still feel dizzy if I try to move around too much. I really feel like I have to go back to work though - I've already missed two days and there's things to be done! I hope they have someone covering for me.....

Well, I didn't get that other job - and really, I'm relieved! I like it where I am so I didn't really want the change. I'd feel like I was letting everybody down and making things difficult for them. Now I'll have another month at least to get everything organized there and leave it in good shape should the girl I'm covering for actually come back at the beginning of November. Besides - I'm planning something for Hallowe'en! I want to visit the kindergarten class and teach them the little pumpkin song!

Can't wait!

Working for a Living

I've been back to work for barely one month and I've already been sick twice. I guess that's what happens when you work around a bunch of snot-nosed little kids. In the first week I gave out more bandaids than I did in three years at the highschool. When I do noon hour supervision the little girls come running up to complain "he's following us" or "they won't leave us alone" yet if you watch you can see they're "leading the boys on". Good grief. These kids are 6-10 years old. Poor boys just don't have a chance from the get-go do they?

I really like this job, though. The staff is great and the principal/vp are so nice to work with. I should have taken this job when it came up as a permanent, but, it's less than full time and I just bought back a bunch of pensionable time so I can retire early - why defeat the purpose of that now by working less than full time? I didn't know if I would like it either. I guess I was a little afraid to take the risk of getting stuck in a job I don't like. There are fewer and fewer clerical positions in the district these days and I feel like wherever I go I could be stuck there for quite a while. At least now I know that I do like it so if I have an opportunity to change I'll know what I'm getting into.

I may be changing jobs again next week. There's another temporary available at the middle school. It's full-time, and the pay is better again than the job I'm doing now so I've put my name in for it. I have mixed feelings about it though. I really like it where I am right now and I'll feel bad if I have to leave them in a lurch, but with Don's job up in the air I really feel like I have to take this opportunity if I can. It would mean an extra $1000 between now and Christmas. Hard to believe it can make that much difference, but it does. If I don't get it I have one month left at Maquinna, and I guess the girl I'm covering for will be back. I thought she might extend her leave, but apparently not. You never know what's going to happen though! Change is in the air.

It's been a while since I've updated my blog. Since we got back from the wedding it's been hectic with school starting up - harvesting the garden - then dealing with the harvest! My good friend Maria came over last weekend and we canned tomatoes - plain, and stewed - applesauce and apple pie filling, and our new neighbour, Dave, gave Don a large box full of pears so I made pear marmalade, pear mincemeat and pears in syrup. It just keeps coming and coming!

This week I also made jalapeno jelly (Yum!) the tomatoes are still coming and the plums are just about ripe! Prune plums are great fresh - but when you have about a bushel of them it's really hard to eat them all! Other years we've given most of them away, and I often make a batch or two of plum jam, but last year I tried canning them in a light syrup. My mom used to do that. They are GREAT! Put them over vanilla ice cream, or in a smoothie and they're fabulous! I may do up some of those if my jars hold out, and give some out in my Christmas hampers (which reminds me - all those of you who benefit at Christmas and other times from my industrious canning - I'd really appreciate the jars being "recycled" back to me ;-)) Anyway, it's still not over yet! Maria keeps asking me when we're going to make anitipasto! And I was thinking today as I put a chicken in the stock pot -- I wonder if I could can chicken soup...." It's an addiction this canning! I love to see the shelves in my pantry full to bursting, and to share it will the people I love, but there's no time to do anything else!

__________________

Actually, that's not true! I had a wonderful day on Saturday. We had a union meeting in the morning (I'm the treasurer so I have to be there - what a way to get a break!) then afterwards I ran away for the day with my good friend Nancy!

We went to Coombs Country Market where a I bought some lovely saskatoon berry jam, tarragon dijon mustard and jalapeno cheese bread at the market, a really cool handmade witch's broom for Hallowe'en and a Japanese Anemone at the garden centre, a lapbelt (that's a jingly kind of scarf thing you tie around your waist for bellydancing! - Maria and I took a class last fall and I'm thinking of taking it again this year; it's so much more rewarding when you can make noise when you jiggle your belly!) Nancy bought a really good top and co-ordinating necklace at the same store. She wasn't brave enough to go for a lap belt - and yes, Nancy - this is a challenge!

After we'd exhausted ourselves poking around Coombs we went to Parksville for lunch at the Bayside Inn. If you've never been to the restaurant there - it's worth a visit! It's called Heron's and it has an incredible view of the water and Parksville Beach and the food is just terrific! Nancy and I each had a bowl of Butternut Squash soup (yum!) I had spinach and strawberry salad with almonds, she had tomato and gonnichini (or something italian like that- it's a kind of mild cheese), she had the crab cake appetizer and I had the duck comfit appetizer, and we shared a bottle of the featured chardonny. Wow...... then we had dessert! Creme brulee for her and fresh fruit tart for me. Holy. We totally splurged! The fruit tart I had was garnished with edible flower petals from Nanoose Edibles.

After lunch we got to the initial intent of our adventure - a visit to Gramma's Quilting Cupboard in Parksville. It's on a little side road off the Parskville Highway, right next to Thrifty Foods. We had fun there! I bought the most fabulous snowman flannel to make up into a quilt, a panel for making new stockings for Christmas, and a few other little things. Between us we spend almost $200 in there! Fun, Fun, Fun!

By that time it was 5:00 and the bank was pretty much tapped out and although I was pretty much ready to go home, Nancy wanted to go for a little walk at the beach. Sooooo - we went on another little adventure! There was a really cool beach my ex had taken the kids and I to a couple of times, south of Parksville, and I knew the general direction, if not the specific location...... As we travelled along down the road I thought we should be travelling and I was beginning to think we'd gone too far - we came upon a sign that said "Nanoose Edibles - this way!" So - having just eaten some of their flowers on my dessert at the restaurant, we were naturally intrigued.....

It's a really cool little farm and you can pick your own, go on a tour, share information, buy fresh produce, flowers, herbs, eggs, etc.... neat! The young guy manning the stand was very mellow and soft-spoken with long hair and gardener's hands. We had an interesting conversation about the herbs, squashes and my garden. I think the guy was either a little slow - or more probably stoned out of his mind- but very pleasant and somehow quite endearing. Nancy bought some onions & beautiful fresh picked strawberries and I bought 3 kinds of squash and some fresh basil. It's okay to spend more $$ -- this is groceries!

Back on the road again we found our beach down "Wall Beach Road" south of Craig's Bay. The beach is so cool because it's basically a sandstone shelf and it looks like the moon! Really different, interesting and worth a visit - if you can find it! Next time we go I have to bring my camera! Nancy loved it and wants to go back soon. The tide was up quite high when we were there, and it was getting late so we only spent about 15 or 20 minutes exploring. I collected some bits of shells, beach bark, and a palm-sized flake of sandstone to take home for Don. I don't know if he appreciated it or not, but it's something I would have loved to have him do for me on such an occassion!

That was my fabulous day with Nancy. My oldest and dearest friend. We've been through a lot together - and been friends for more than 30 years. Imagine that! Wow! That's a long time. I must be old. But "Old friends take a long time to make, but are worth the wait!" I just made that up - what do you think?

xoxo Until another day - Think free - be free - take time to just be!

UPDATE


Well, the new job's been great so far! Elementary school is so much different than high school as far as the secretarial job goes! It's so much more relaxed. I really like it. School starts tomorrow though so we'll see if my opinion changes by the end of the week!

We had a great trip to Schuswap Lake this past weekend. Don's cousin got married and the wedding turned out beautifully! Will post some photos asap. We stayed at the Maples Resort, right on Schushwap Lake in Sorrento. Pretty rustic cabins, but a pretty spot, and it was walking distance to the hall where they had the wedding. Shelby came with us and Brandon met us there so we had a good visit with him. He and Shelby rented a seadoo on Saturday afternoon and had a blast with it. Don & I went for a short burn about on it - but I didn't care for it much! The only thing there is to hang onto is the person in front of you and you're basically at their mercy! I felt like I was going to fall off pretty much the whole time!

It was a long trip home yesterday! We left Sorrento at 8:30 am, stopped for breakfast in Kamloops and dropped Brandon off for the bus back to Hinton. Don wanted to drive through his hunting area so that entailed a 1-2 hour detour through the "outback" of the area around Logan Lake and Savona. We were lucky to hit the ferry line-up on just right though - there wasn't a big line-up. We arrived at Horseshoe Bay at 5:15 and were on the next ferry at 6:40. We had to drop Don's mom & Shelby off in town, and didn't get home until about 10:00 pm. What a day! I hate travelling like that!

It's good to be home.

BACK TO REALITY

I'm back to work tomorrow. Back to 6:30 am alarms, bag lunches and routine. I'm bummed. I wish I could stay on holiday for - oh - at least another six months. Or that's what I believe. In reality I would probably get bored and be dying to get back to work. Right? I have to believe that. It's just that I so love taking my time waking up in the morning, or jumping out of bed the minute the sun hits my face through the open window to rush outside and water the garden - pull some weeds or pick the veggies. My choice. Nice to have one. That's what I like about holidays. I like not having anything I have to do and being able to sit and read a book, or snooze in my lawn chair, or go for swim, call a friend, go for a walk, etc, etc......

Most people think we school secretaries get the whole summer off. They're always so surprised when I tell them I work in the summer time. Sometimes it's actually so busy it's hard to even get a short break in the summer. This year I got 2 weeks. No wonder I'm not ready to go back.

Once I do get back to work, though, and reality actually sets in and school starts, the routine will start to flow and I'll actually find it oddly comforting. I know it. Life's been this way for me for almost 20 years.

Maybe part of me is apprehensive because I'm going to a new job. But I think it's going to be a good change! Working in an elementary school from 8-2:30 for the same $$ as I made in my previous job at the highschool working 8-4pm sounds wonderful. And the job is easier, quieter in a lot of ways. I've done it before, so I do know what I'm talking about and what I'm in for. It will almost be like still being on holiday! Right?

FRAMPTON IN VICTORIA!

So we had a great time in Victoria! We managed to book a B&B last minute at Scholefield House on Vancouver Street. The house was built in 1892 and has 10 foot ceilings, antique furniture, etc. Try this link http://scholefieldhouse.com to check it out if you want. We stayed in the King Suite which is the large bay window on the upper floor that you can see in this picture. The room has a wood-burning fireplace, a king size bed, lovely antique table and 2 chairs set in the bay of the window where Don & I relaxed with a drink and nibblies when we arrived. The host, at my request had recommended and booked a dinner reservation for us at Cafe Brio on Fort Street; a short, five minute walk from the B&B. The food was outstanding! They have a 3-course chef's menu for $28/person so we went with that: appy we chose was hearts of romaine with a lovely, light lemony dressing; for our entree Don had the steak, which was beautifully seasoned and cooked to perfection, and I had the pasta special which was Rigatoni with mussels and veggies in a beautiful, light sauce; dessert was creme brulee for me (yummy) and Don's was zapaplotsky or something like that which is some kind of custard, over fruit with 2 small biscotti-like sticks. We shared a bottle of Lindeman's Bin 65 Chardonnay (excellent white wine, reasonably priced) and a peppertini. If you like pepper, or anything spicy you've got to try this one! The waitress told us they infuse the vodka right on premise with black peppercorns. It's finished with a spicy green bean (she gave us 2 because we were sharing ;-) Fabulous! We bought a bottle of Vodka and are going to try making our own! It would make a fabulous caesar, too! I can't wait!

After dinner we walked (2 blocks) to the Royal Theatre for the concert. We had fabulous seats - on the aisle, 4 rows from the stage! When we arrived the opening act had already started: Shaun Verreault. He's one of the dudes from Wide Mouth Mason who's venturing out on his own with a one-man acoustic presentation. Don bought an autographed CD - the daggerlip sketches.

THEN the main event! Peter Frampton. Frampton Comes Alive! "Baby, I Love Your Way" and "Do You Feel Like We Do?" to name only two of the late great 70's hits I remember. When it came out in the later 70's the ALIVE album was the biggest selling album of all time. The guy is an icon. The guy is a phenomenol guitarist! I was glad we had the seats we did, so close to the stage because as we watched him play we could see the myriad expressions flow across his face and see how he feels the music. He is the music. His fingers fly!

I remember him from the 70's era as a really cute guy with long, blond, curly hair..... I was a little disconcerted when he came out on stage. Smallish, balding, gray - haired fellow that looks like he could be MY dad. But, he has a real twinkle in his eye, a good sense of humour and the guy can still totally rock out on that guitar! We were just a bit disappointed in that most of the concert was instrumental. Apparently they are promoting a new instrumental album slated to come out in a few weeks. He only sang 4-5 songs. But as I said - the music is still incredible. I just prefer music combined with lyrics, myself. I think I might go out and by the ALIVE CD. It really was and is incredible - check it out!