triumphgal

May 31, 2021

It is ride your bike to work week, so i did. I mean, it’s got 786 cc of purr but it’s still a bike. I was impressed with how many families I saw riding together to school today. Apparently there were 117 registrants last year and over 400 this year. Yay Cranbrook! One of my client’s paid for me to take a break with them in the morning and I had my picture taken with my MC and Lynette Wray, with her bicycle. I hope they use it for some publicity as it was fun.

I was not dressed for photos however as I had gotten dressed for work and then thought to put on the only orange shirt I own which was part of a costume for Life Without Parole. It even has my prisoner number stenciled on the back. It did seem eerily fitting for the day to come together to remember the 215 children whose remains were discovered in graves in the spot where the Indian Residential School was in Kamloops, BC. This horror, it is not a shock but a sickening echo of the pain served to the First Nation peoples. As I so aptly heard put, it did not happen to them, it was done to them. There was a conscious decision by ‘God fearing’ white religious people to erase the Indian, to save the heathens, to reeducate and eradicate. We, WE, WE ALL should be ashamed and carry this blame. I do not directly think I have a reason to be blamed at first thought but I should as I had no idea this was still going on until 1996! In my adult time there were First Nations peoples in my country still going to a residential school. This is the truly unfathomable part, that I was never taught this, that I did not know what I could have stopped. How is that even possible? What else is going on right under my nose that I can change? We all need to be educated. I have lived on a reserve, I know the damage that has been done, I have met the survivors, I have heard their stories. I know why all these years later, they still sleep with the lights on. I am sorry, I will remember, I will try to seek reconciliation, whatever that looks like. I will get further educated.

After work, my long way home on the bike took me to Sean and Diane’s to see the further progress of their renovation. It really is beautiful. I know it will be appreciated by whomever purchases their home. I also told them I was there to kick their butts in cribbage which I did. Sean invited me for dinner but Diane said there was steak spice on the meat and that would give me grief. I knew I had my Hello Fresh meal to cook anyway and oh the irony… it was chili spaghetti. Literally, chili on spaghetti. I was going to skip the smoked paprika and the chili garlic mix but decided to go for it as I do so love the taste of chili. It was soooo good, and I made sure I took a pill beforehand so the ‘feedback’ was minimal. There are left overs for tomorrow, I will have to be sure I am prepared for the imminent gas and indigestion but sometimes it is just worth it. Chili and Tacos, the two things I just can’t give up completely.. and maybe an occasional Caesar.

My neighbour, Tracey tapped on the door and asked if I wanted to sit out in the yard for a beer and a visit. That was nice. I am glad she is doing a rent to own as we seem to have no trouble finding things to chat about.

I will say that the single greatest decision I made this year was to get the new furnace with AC! It was 25 centigrade or 78 Fahrenheit in my place when I got home. I figured out how to set the AC to come on and it is a comfortable 20 now so I will be able to sleep tonight. A very worthwhile investment for sure!

May 30, 2021

Up and out of bed early, did laundry and hung it on the line. Gorgeous day so I jumped on the bike and headed … to the office. I got 4 hours in on an important file and then found myself tied up by Shaw. I had a SIM card to activate to port my number from Telus to my Shaw account as it was only $15 packaged with my cable and internet. The woman I spoke to set it all up and said I would get a text from Telus that I should just say yes to and it would be moved over. 4 hours later it still hadn’t come so I read the email the system sent me. Turns out she had an extra letter in my last name, and an extra digit in my cell number and left off two numbers of my address. I called the number in the email and waited half an hour before hanging up and trying the original number I had called. That was probably a mistake as it took 45 minutes longer to finally get through to a nice sounding person who fixed it all and I now have a working phone again. I am just grateful they didn’t lose my number along the way. I jumped on the bike and took the very long way home looping my way out of town, around and back. I love this time of year when everything smells delightful. I don’t get that in the car. I could just go up and down roads, smelling the blossoming trees and the fresh cut lawns. I have to be careful though as I don’t have a functioning speedometer. I came home and had my second helping of last night’s dinner, it was just as good warmed up. I had built my new Stick Bug cage before I left and found 3 of the little things that I had missed in the transfer, just hanging out. The new cage is so much nicer and cool to watch now. I went and picked up Rae and we stopped at the corner store to get chips before returning to my place to watch Friends: The Reunion. I really enjoyed the walk down memory lane. It’s funny that the actors are closer to my age than Rae’s but their lifestyle in the show was closer to what her age group was experiencing. She and I were both married early and were responsible for other humans during our 20’s to 40’s. Maybe that is our love, the escape part. I still have a crush on Matt LeBlanc, and am so glad he is aging naturally, bit of a belly, grey hair and all. He still sparkles.

Rae starts a new Job on Tuesday and is feeling all the anxiety. I can relate but I also know she will excel at it. Today was Nigel’s 65th birthday and I had a couple gifts sent by Amazon UK to his home in Biggin Hill. I am so happy he likes his shirt and birthday plant for the garden. I am continuously blessed by the presence of he and Linda in my life. It was nice to surprise him a little. I even had a beer in his honour today!

May 30, 2021

Leg ached this morning so I got up and moving early. Got outside and gathered all the branches and leaves and dead hedge bits because Keri was coming to bring it all to the transfer station. She is so kind. Danny arrived not long after and we got to work on the window trim in the kitchen. It took a bit to get him to understand my vision and that I had just the right amount of material that I painted to be ready. Unfortunately the second piece he cut wrong and towards the end I had to run to Home Depot for more. They didn’t have any so I had to improvise. He agreed when we were done that it was nothing like he would have done but it worked well. We made a plan to work on my bathroom together either the 5th or 19th of June. I can’t wait.

I really am so very happy with the result.

Next I went to grab Rae, and let Roger know I didn’t need his help with the window or the yard waste. She and I went to Kimberley to check out my client’s establishments. First stop was Grist & Mash. We met Thomas and then in came one of the owners, Natalie. With masks on she said I reminded her of their bookkeeper Marnée. We all had a good laugh when I revealed myself as we had only met once by Zoom and then by phone and email since. She gave us a tour and I am impressed that they hand can all their beer. I suppose everyone does that but I had never stopped to think about it before.

We wandered the Platzl heading up to Earth’s Own Naturals where I met the lovely crew on staff and picked up some edibles and capsules. In the platzl I saw an ebike that really interested me. I think I will wait to see what happens with my back/legs before purchasing but I will know what I want when the time comes. There is a super cool store full of treasures in what was the Kimberley Hotel back in the day called The Old Crow. I could wander there for days and not see it all. We also stopped at this incredible cake and chocolate shop, Grow where I picked up some delicious treats and Rae bought us a nummy piece of cake that we sat and shared before heading home.

Dropped Rae off and came home to install the repurposed anchor hook for my garden hose. I also rolled out the bamboo Fence along the back. It needs proper support so I will see what it looks like in the morning. The neighbour back there said he is putting up a fence anyway. He seems quite talk downish.

Dinner turned out delicious, almond crusted pork. Mmmmmmmm. I was aching so when I was done I had a gummy and a crown & coke and settled to watch odd choices on Netflix while working on the Marvel puzzle. The One is a great premise strangely executed. Master of None is amusing. I heard Missy having a moment outside. Cats are so odd.

It was a great day. I liked getting things done, getting out in the sun and spending time with Rae. The only negative was when I tried out the size of an e-bike and when I tried to step off it I tweaked myself somehow and almost fell over. Now my left knee hurts as well. Sigh. It is now May 30th which is my friend Nigel’s 65th birthday. I wish I was in the UK to celebrate with them. Cheers to you, my friend!

May 28, 2021

I was going to sit down and write this when I was in the middle of all the feels but decided to have a hot shower and cool down instead. Today was productive, I even filed my own tax return and it was a small refund instead of a big pay which was a blessing! I was on a roll with an important file when I realized I had to get home and have dinner as the handyman, Danny was going to be at my place at 7 to trim out my kitchen window. I do not have air tools anymore and decided it would be better to hire someone else to do it for me. That is not something that comes easily to me. I have always saved dollars and my sanity by doing things myself. The problem now is I actually don’t love doing finishing work. When I was building houses I liked to take it to lock-up and walk away. My favourite was concrete and framing, I still would love to be doing it. The joy of sheeting a roof and having a view of the world from up there is sublime. I came home and checked to be sure that the trim I had done a second coat of paint on this morning was dry enough. I had a quickie dinner and cleared the area around the sink, ready. And at 7:01, he messaged me to see if we could do it tomorrow instead as his son wanted to watch a movie with him. I expressed the fact that I understood family obligations but I also had scheduled around this being done. He then said he would just have dinner with his wife and be over. And so I waited. At 8 pm I was annoyed and went out to mow my very overgrown lawn. At 9 I started weeding the garden beds, and then my legs said, no more. I did make good progress but by 930 when I heard a vehicle pull up, I burst into tears when I saw it was Rae and Roger. They brought me a Gerber Daisy plant which I love, and chocolate. They know me so well. They encouraged me to text him not to come and Roger offered to come help me do it on the weekend. I did text and he said he was just loading his truck. It was 945 by now so I texted him calmly that I was not up to it, that I had been angry, that I would do it myself. He finally apologized and offered to come in the morning and do it for free. I will likely pay him but I will have a talk about his reliability if I am going to hire him for my bathroom reno that I really want to do. This was why I stopped contracting home builds, I got so annoyed with the help. I would hire someone 10 or more years younger than I am to dig a ditch and I could have done it 3 times faster, or I would have to deal with hangovers and excuses. I found it less stressful just to become a handyman, a Jill of All Trades. The problem now is I am experiencing all the outcomes of hard work, using my body as a tool, and pushing myself. So, tomorrow at 11, I hope to have my window finally completed. I hope he will understand my plan

A final thought… my Dad instilled in me to try very hard not to be late because it was implying that my time was more important than someone else’s. It’s not, it’s all about respect.

May 27, 2021

Between work and physio today, I am done in. There were bright spots in the day. I worked on my own tax return and will get to file it tomorrow which is a huge pressure off. I completed everything I could due this month’s end and will finish the last file tomorrow as they are sending the last of the info. I had a lovely long talk with my friend Mabel in Bella Bella, discussion included making a plan to have me there when the flights open up again! I got to go bottle hard Blueberry and Iced Tea Lemonade with Stacey which was a lot of fun. We split the batches and had a nice visit. I then came home and made dinner which was ready just as Rae and Ash showed up to watch the Friends Reunion on Crave. Unfortunately it wasn’t going to be on until 10 which was weird as some people watched it already. We sat on the couch and watched Hannah Gatsby’s show Douglas. She is very entertaining. After they left I painted the trim for my kitchen window as Danny is to come to do it tomorrow night. I wouldn’t be able to reach unless I kneeled on the counter and with my leg issues, that is impossible. Worth paying for the assistance just to finally have it done.

The good/bad news was my physio appointment as there is a potential diagnosis with more testing. Mark wants me to go to my Dr next week as he will have written her a letter about the findings. He wants me to have an x-ray and MRI as he thinks the problem originates in the discs in my lower back. There are a few more things happening that lead to the concern. All I know is after a treatment of pressure on my hip and back I am exhausted from the pain and barely got through the rest of the day no matter how fun it was. Now I hope to get sleep.

May 26, 2021

I think my intuition about the treadmill may be correct as today was not as unbearable when I woke up. So I am double down committed to walking every day. Treadmill on weekdays and outdoors on days off. I had fun today at work, and Keri agreed we should get Subway for lunch. I was craving chips and they forgot to put them in my bag. I called and right away she said to swing by later and she would give me them and 2 cookies. I did swing by after work and the guy working gave me my chips and 4 cookies, lol. This afternoon I did a happy dance when I completed the first month of my new client and then met with then met with my newest and final one. They were very good for my psyche with their appreciation of what I bring to the table and their complete trust in me. I made time to get things mostly ready for tonight’s board meeting and then ran to Home Depot to pick up the black paint I needed for my trim as Danny, the handyman is supposed to be coming Friday to trim out my kitchen window and discuss the bathroom reno. Back to the office for the meeting and it was actually fun as they guys have healthy debates and discussions and everyone gets involved. To me, even when Robert’s rules are not exactly followed, it is the best when everyone is passionate about what we are doing. We are making plans to bring music fest back to Cranbrook. I came up with a fun idea for stickers that relate getting vaccinated to having live music. Once I got home I made my last meal from Hello Fresh for the week as the new box comes tomorrow. It was saucy Ragout with Olive Tempanade and it was so delicious! Way too late at night but so good. After that I cleaned everything up and then put the first coat on my picture frame after I cleaned up all the trim, ready to be painted tomorrow. I think it looks exactly as I hoped! Definitely not stuck in the ‘80s now. That was a very fulfilling day and it’s only Wednesday.

Something has been sitting on the back of my brain all day. I am sorry to use you this way but it really does help me to let it go if I talk about it. I was talking with a young lady yesterday and asked her if she has watched Dear White People. She hadn’t and asked me the premise. She then started talking how there would be an uproar if there was a show Dear Black People. I took a short breath and explained about the need for the pendulum to swing. I related it to the way I used to feel about special rights for ‘gays’. I was never disturbed by the sexuality of my friends so I never understood why they needed special rights. All people deserve not to be beaten up walking down the street, it’s a human right. But what I realized is that the difference is that a straight man can get mugged but a gay man is a victim of a hate crime. The mugger under regular rights gets penalized for robbery. The other has chosen his victim purposefully for who he loves and his sexuality, thus special rights must be invoked to make it a hate crime with stronger penalties. As human beings we must give up our right to a smug little safe world to make others feel safe and grounded and…. Human. I am rambling now but it makes me sad that young people today still don’t get it. She actually had intelligent comments after and I think I may have ‘teached’ her just a little bit. One Cranbrook kid at a time.

May 25, 2021

I’m kidding, tonight was actually a good meeting with many things that needed to be said and decisions that were positive. Tonight shall be a short message as my iPad decided it was time for an update and I’ve been waiting for it to finish although it is now 1058 and I need to go to bed. It was a long day and my hip and knee were very bad again this morning which led me to wonder if it has to do with the fact that I don’t do my treadmill on nonwork days. It seems like it’s always the worst on Monday or today which was Tuesday after a long weekend. We’ll see how it feels tomorrow. it felt good to have the heater blasting on it under my desk during the day. I popped out for quick waxing of eyebrows and armpits after work and before the board meeting. I’ve never had pits done and I can tell you it is painful. My skin seems extremely sensitive right now though and the shaving was not working and whatever is going on everything was itching so decided to give it a try too much information LOL. Yeah I think I can’t afford to do it as often as you need to. personal upkeep is expensive, on the other hand how cheap do you want them to have to do your daily ablutions for you. Came back to time that is weird because it’s so late light right now that I’m not ready to go to bed by 11 but I know that I need to if I’m going to get up and get on the treadmill tomorrow. I have much to accomplish in the next three days. as always the last week of the month holds a lot including another board meeting tomorrow night. Catch you later.

May 24, 2021

It is a holiday Monday, but for those of us who are self employed with deadlines, it is really just a peaceful day at the office. I woke up unbearably sore this morning. I had to use my hands to move my leg, did stretches and got it moving. It now makes me wonder if some of the breathing, inflammation issues are tied to the pain. Once I got moving I had a coffee and Bailey’s on the couch trying to relax and get motivated. I then had something to eat and was at the office by 11:30. There was no one else there although I scared Brett the IT guy when I said hi when he arrived an hour later. I filed a couple tax returns, responded to a client and logged in to fix her remittances and prepared all my CCT books up to date. I made sure I was home before 6, to have dinner at a decent time. I made a beautiful salad with home made dressing, boiled egg, feta and pan fried scallops. I made sure there is enough for lunch tomorrow. It was a lovely paced, productive day.

May 24, 2021

I had found my hummingbird feeder yesterday so I made food and put up the hook to hang it before I left for the office. The rain had begun so I thought to go get some work done. I did enjoy just getting some work done that needed focus and I will go in tomorrow to finish it off as well as get my volunteerism taken care of. I didn’t come home until after 8 but it was satisfying and I had good leftovers. Missy was hysterical, wanting to go outside and barely making it to the bottom step before running back in. I went out and covered the jeep and was drenched in no time. It will be good for the gardens! This evening I did a primer coat on an oak frame around one of my cross-stitch pieces. I plan to paint it black to bring it out of the 80s. Started working on a fun Marvel puzzle as I watched ‘Dear White People” I always hope these type of shows are honest as I learn more, hoping to become more ‘woke’ from the media I view.

May 23, 2021

I spent the afternoon and evening getting my 46 Willys running and out to the front of my property. It was so satisfying once it cranked over and Emmy enjoyed the first ride along. Once I got it out front there was a lot of cleaning to do as it has been parked for two winters leaving it full of leaves etc. The day that was only supposed to get to 16 degrees got up to over 20. Danika was needing a nap so she asked me to take Emmy for the afternoon. We had fun and she is really something. As I was getting ready to go to my nail appointment I asked her if I looked ok to go to the mall. She looked me up and down and then said I was beautiful but that my hair could look more beautiful. She is very diplomatic for a 4 year old. It was nice to have the company as I was puttering.

I gave my old gazebo to my Neighbour Tracey and it fits perfect to give her some shade. When I finished having my nails done, I headed to Lordco to drop off my old battery. I started thinking a lot about hanging with my dad and having a beer so I stopped at the liquor store and as I was craving a lucky I was sad they had none in the fridges. As I was about to grab Pilsner instead a woman working there asked what I was looking for and it seems she had 3 cases left only in the back. I was super grateful and gave her one as a tip because she said she’d never tried it. She was very surprised.

When I got back Tracey was out in her yard and we got chatting which led to sitting in my yard enjoying a couple beer together. She is easy to talk to and I am glad she is my Neighbour. It was 8 pm by the time I came in and started dinner. I made my next Hello Fresh but realized I had used the turkey in the last one so I used beef. It turned out delicious but the seasoning did give me upset stomach and heartburn. It was worth it but I won’t order that one again. I’m not going to waste the second serving and will have it tomorrow.

I picked up a lovely flamingo solar light at Shoppers with my PC points.

I used the AC for the first time tonight. Just cooled everything down to comfortable. It’s supposed to be rainy and cool tomorrow. My body aches a bit, I am off to dreamland…

May 21, 2021

Ok so the brains that keep track of these things say this is the 21st day of the 21st week of the 21st year of the 21st century. really it is just another number series that means nothing but is cool to recognize as it happens. Did this day mean anything special to you? Well… yes.

First : I went to Physio today and we think it is my hip causing the problems in both legs. I fell down a 12 step run of plywood stairs in Sept of 2015 and took most of the blows bouncing down on my right hip. I was always afraid that would catch up with me and it seems that my fall on April 1st may have been the catalyst to failure in my right hip causing the pain in my right knee and shocks in my right calf. I have stretching exercises and a follow up appointment before we know for sure the prognosis.

Second: I fell into the groove working on a file today. This is the moment that occurs when i feel like I know the file, it had become kin and I will find the rhythm to complete it regularly. It is an Ah ha moment.

Third: My Di (C) came over for games night!! I kicked her butt the first game of Patchwork over much honest conversation and then part way into the second game my eldest knocked on the door. They both have had tough weeks and it was such a blessing to download, laugh and cry together. Women together form a bond of honesty that is supreme. I think we should be aware of that and always not only cherish but seek it. We gather nothing by cutting each other down and so much by acknowledging our similarities, our struggles and our triumphs.

This made me smile today…and honestly I found it hard not to lean once I got up to the counter! (Picked up a $227 battery for the jeep today!)

May 20, 2021

I have been watching Snowpiercer on Netflix and I find it curious for many reasons. I really love the cast, the over the top bits of it but am annoyed by the impossibilities of it. There is no way they get as quick as they do from one end of the train to the other. It is over 1000 cars long… There are parts of the train that are very thin, the tail and engine for example and others that hold a circus, an aquarium, a ball room. Yet when you see it from the outside it is the same all the way along, even the lights are the same although there are stretches with no windows.. and so much more. The single most annoying thing though is that the women wear very high heels, even the super busy workers in hospitality and the men wear ties. I was just watching Rebel and was struck by the same thing. The power camera shots scan from the feet with women in stilettos up to the men in their ties and suits. How is it that these things are seen as a sign of power, or respect demanded or given? Why is it still a thing in the very distant future? Now, for those of you who know me, I am a shoe woman. I can find myself attracted to an average guy in a good pair of shoes. I walk differently, carry myself differently and feel all the feels and power in the right pair for the job. I do not however believe any longer that I can only look professional and powerful in stilettos. I actually think always wearing heals feels a little like giving in to the stereotype. And don’t even get me started about the wearing of dress shirts and ties for men. I have often felt sorry for the up and coming accounting student working in a corporate environment who may only own one suit. It is so unfair. I do love a nice button down shirt with no tie though.

In other news, my right leg nearly kept me in bed this morning. I couldn’t get on the treadmill. I see my Physiotherapist, Mark, tomorrow. Hopefully he will have some idea of what is going on and some relief.

My naturopath appointment tomorrow is cancelled due to her dog having died. I feel sad for her and am glad she made the choice to cancel as she was to do some hands on treatments. Not sure why but my inflammation issue seems to be on the low end at the moment. I am back on my pills full time though. And I guess I am eating better and more regularly. I always thought meal services wouldn’t work for me due to intolerances but Hello Fresh has so many options I don’t think I will get bored.

May 19, 2021

I can’t even believe that after the heat wave of Sunday night I awoke to my vehicle covered in frost. I hope my plants all survive it.

I laughed to log in to Facebook and find that according to my shopping history I am in need of a new boat and diamonds. Champagne taste on a Budweiser budget, my friends.

I got a lot of work done and then skipped out for a bit to get a deluxe pedicure. It was very relaxing and I read my Cher magazine while i was there. A good relax was just what I needed. I paid dearly for it but it was worth it.

I went back to the office and got a bunch more done before driving Chance home and borrowing his battery jumper pack. I wanted to get my 46 Willys CJ2A running. It has been parked in my yard since Fall 2019 so I am hopeful. It is very dirty and needs some love. The pack didn’t do the trick and I am pretty sure it needs a new battery. I dug around until I found my trickle charger and plugged it in for the night. I will try again tomorrow. With my leg issue it is very challenging to get in and out. I can’t wait to get her on the road again though.

On my way home I was thinking that Jake had used air quotes around “it’s in the mail” about my birthday and Mother’s Day present. I was going to rib him about it but when I checked my mail there was a wee parcel with a beautiful necklace holding all three of my kids birthstones. I confess, I have always been jealous of women with that type of jewelry but it’s not something you buy yourself. I was thrilled that he took the time to get me such a personalized gift. He’s a good lad.

My second Hello Fresh order arrived today and I was shocked because I thought it was Tuesday! I enjoyed my take out lunch from The Cottage. Quite the great deal: a huge half of a BLT on think homemade bread, Turkey noodle soup and Bread Pudding for only 10.99. I started late but made the HF meal for dinner and it made enough for another lunch and dinner as well as tonight. A little bit gassy for my tummy as it used Montreal Steak Spice but it as so nice to have something a little spiced for a change.

It really is a shame not to have anyone to share it with!

May 18, 2021

When I awoke this morning I thought the most exciting thing for the day was going to be the fact that I was getting my Air Conditioning hooked up. Don’t get me wrong, being that I live in a tin box, that is a blessing but there was bigger news to come by days end.

I had a day of ear buds in and focus. Got so much done which always makes me happy. After work I planned to take Sean’s last balloon to Emmy. Unfortunately it immediately escaped her and there were many tears as it floated away.

the tears were replaced with happy to tell me the news.

It is an awkward time although I am happy for Danika and Malcolm, and I asked if I was to be Nana to the new baby too but Emmy decided I am just hers. My backstory will never let me leave that child out of events involving Emmy but we shall see how close we all end up. It is a complicated and yet comforting world that we all stay connected. I feel for those who do not have this level of connectedness.

I got home to find there must have been a harsh wind as my hanging plant had blown down as well as so much blown around the yard. I had a quick clean up and came in to make dinner and do puzzle time. I received my new ruggable for the den/guest room and will show it off when I put it out. I also arrived to my new fencing having arrived. Once the weather changes back to the better I will deal with installing it.

Life is good.

May 17, 2021

Before I get on with my day I must express that I just saw a commercial where a woman was shaving her bikini line… is that really the level of detail we need to understand that a razor works to do that? I just need to be told, if anything, I do not need to watch it… just my 2 cents and why I PVR everything I can and fast forward through the commercials. I HATE the Charmin bear ads to such a degree, I will not buy the product. Ok, rant over, moving on..

Today began with the glory of riding my Triumph to work. It was beautiful and the perfect temperature. I wasn’t even nervous as I sometimes have been the first ride of the season. It was just glorious, although I dislike that my speedometer and odometer are broken. I know the feel of my bike and can judge by other traffic for speed but the odometer lets me know with great satisfaction how long I have ridden each season and how many kilometers I have put on her. It is also a fuel gauge as I know how much I usually burn by the number ridden. I need to find a good mechanic to help me out.

I was well into doing payroll when I received a call that truly filled my tank. I paused everything to take in the moment and listen to my gut. Back story: In May of 2016 when I was getting ready to leave Bella Bella at the end of the school year as I was the payroll person for the school board, I began applying for jobs in Cranbrook. I had a conference call interview for a job with a branch of an umbrella organization here in town. It went really well and they were interested but they wouldn’t hire me without an in person interview. I had committed to completing the job until the end of June so was unable to do as they hoped and they ended up hiring someone else. Jump ahead to me working for BC Assessment and I get a call asking if I am still available and interested. It would have been a lateral move financially so I decided to stay where I was at the time. Another jump and I have just started working at an accounting firm. I get another call and due to my recent commitment, I decline. While I was mowing my lawn this weekend for some reason that whole experience crossed my mind about crossed paths and unfortunate timing. Well you guessed it, today the same boss called me again and said he really wanted me and wondered where I was working or if I was interested…. After a good long chat while I was checking my gut as to whether I had capacity, I got a funny feeling again and asked who the current person was. Turns out it is the person I took over for at the accounting firm and it seems they are up to their same old non communication tricks. When I told him I was familiar with the work and what would need to be fixed, he said, he knew I was the one. It was lovely to be head hunted for 5 years and finally end up in a contracted position that will work for both of us. As he said, this is what was meant to be. I do believe this will be my last client I take on unless someone leaves a spot along the way. I am at a good level of manageability. it feels good to be wanted, and appreciated.

after work, Roger met me at Top Crop where I had picked out a Romeo cherry tree and a second blueberry bush. Seem the cherry is self propagating but my lone blueberry is not. I had already got a Rhododendron, a rose bush and some strawberry plants yesterday so once I got digging I just kept going. It was hot work as it was 25 degrees in the shade but there was a breeze. I got everything planted and named my tree Stacey after my friend who inspired me to start my own wee harvest garden. It is only a couple feet taller than I am so i look forward to seeing it grow. I am inspired to stay in this spot which is a good sign. I was supposed to find my battery charger and get the Willys ready to move up front but I was tired and hungry by the time I finished planting.

I decided to follow the model of Hello Fresh and gather ingredients in preparation and then throw it all together. It was so satisfying! I made delicious Tiger Prawn tacos. Every thing about it was satisfying, the making and the eating. I am even enjoying the plating.

A moment of fun today was when Sean set his birthday unicorn free to float around the building. It ended up in my office and I have permission to bring it to Emmy who will LOVE it! Tomorrow is AC day! I am thrilled as it will bring a level of comfort to my home whether I am sitting under a fan or not.

Ok, alert, I am going to talk about aches and pains, so if you have had enough of that, I will talk to you tomorrow, otherwise..

I have been having a couple leg issues that are likely completely unrelated but have been getting worse so I called and made a phone call appointment with my Dr. She called at the end of the day and is concerned with what I am describing. She wants me to start with Physio which I was fortunate to be able to get into on Friday. Left leg has been experiencing what I can only describe as electrical shock pulses from the ankle up my calf. Sometimes it is uncomfortable and sometimes it is tortuous. My right knee has me nearly shrieking when I kneel and twist at all. I am like a 90 year old trying to stand up once I kneel down. The knee has been aching for a while but I didn’t really notice it as I wasn’t kneeling much. Now that it is gardening time, I feel it. It doesn’t make a difference to walking or standing or riding, just kneeling and sitting. I did fall hard back on the day the furnace was being installed when I tripped with the litter box in my hands. My Dr mentioned that we need to take care of my knee right away and that may involve surgery….Good thing I can work from home and will have air conditioning! All things in the right timing, I am blessed. I am not worried though, just grateful to get it checked soon as it aches bad in the mornings.

May 16, 2021

I woke up this morning still thinking about the movie I watched last night, My Octopus Teacher. It was so lovely and calming and reminded me of all the peace and joy I find underwater. I want to dive again. To do so I will get healthy. I was mostly impressed with the fact that he was basically free diving for the whole year. Pretty impressive. The kelp beds reminded me of the ones on the west coast but clearer water.

I was up and at it at a decent time to go put more of the pergola together before it got too hot. I then got ready, had some delicious huge strawberries for breakfast and headed out to Kookanusa-West to finish cleaning and sanitizing bottles with Stacey, ready for bottling at months end. It was nice to visit and stroll around the Ranch, experiencing shop envy. They really do have a wonderful spot out in the countryside. I spoke to Jordon, their son about working on my ‘46 Willys and he would love to. I will get it running soon and bring it to the front of my property and they will pick it up on a trailer. I trust the work he will do and that I won’t get ripped off for the job. I look forward to driving it back to home on the backroads one day. I didn’t know much about Lake Kookanusa and was stunned at how low the water is. Apparently it will be back up to levels by July. Reservoirs are so strange.

I stopped at Top Crop to look for a cherry tree which Roger will help me pick up tomorrow. I came home with a beautiful rose bush that Missy seems to like. I also just caught the insurance company before it closed and insured my bike. $137/month!! So much money… It was extremely hot today but my place stayed manageable with the ceiling fan over my head. I waited for the sun to move along a little before I went out to put some more pieces together, water the garden and tidy up.

I made my third meal from Hello Fresh and it was so good. The second portion will go to work with me tomorrow. I ate later but it was light and delicious and portion controlled. I am so glad I decided to try this. It works well for me.

I could have done more this weekend in the yard but I enjoyed the pace I went at. Things are coming together!

May 16, 2021

It is International Fluevog Day and I was very good at avoiding the site all day but now with only 40 minutes left I did go peruse and then cut myself off to do this rather than spend more on shoes… it’s just that they are so beautiful and they make me happy to wear them!!

I awoke to a text from Di asking if I was available to come bottle her Moscato with her. This made me very happy as I wanted a catch up and was glad she reached out. It also got me motivated to get out and mow my lawn before meeting her so that it wouldn’t be too hot. I ran out of gas when I was nearly done. It was looking so scruffy! Had a quick shower and met her there. It was fun to do with her and Zoë, just like the first time.

Afterwards I headed to Home Hardware and Home Depot looking for a mat for the yard, bits for my fence, etc. I was impressed that there was an employee handing out bottles of cold water to the shoppers in the garden department. I picked up a few plants including a pretty hanging basket, a Rhododendron and some strawberries. I pulled up near a car with a very obscured license plate, have never seen anything like that before. Apparently my phone thinks all roads lead to the Guedes House. I passed by some protesters again. One of these times I should stop and ask questions.

I stopped for groceries at Save-On, liquor store for cabinet updating, gas station for filling of Jerry can and then came home and stayed out of the heat for a bit before going out to finish the lawn. After dinner I began building my pergola. Two pieces were damaged by the freight company so that is annoying but I am doing a work around. It was good and hot and tomorrow is supposed to get up to 27!!!!

May 14, 2021

I forgot to post two of the fun things of last night, the first being the intense rain just before 6pm

And the second was the moment I noticed the sun had come out and was providing the perfect light for a photo shoot with my eldest. She is beautiful inside and out!

Today involved a good deal of supplying info to Canada Revenue Agency to prove amounts claimed on several returns. I started the day popping across the street to Jackson’s to ask when my AC unit would be hooked up. Bruce kindly booked me in for Tuesday acknowledging that mobile homes get hot. He also swung by to be sure where we would put it since the usual spot would block the exit of my 1946 Willys from it’s secure spot in my back yard. That is lovely small town service. It is still 23 degrees centigrade inside with the windows open and it is only the first really warm day of a stretch. A few of us ordered takeout from Hot Shots and I had a delicious teriyaki chicken bowl. After lunch I walked the block and a half to the repair man and picked up my lawnmower. Turns out it was choking as oil had been overfilled and likely tipped to wrong side. He replaced the air filter, charged the battery for the electric start and got it running smooth. I am grateful and know what tomorrow holds! I enjoyed the walk in the sun and Sean allowed me to put it in his truck to be dropped off later.

I got what I could done and headed home to be here for 5 as Ashlée said she had a Mother’s Day surprise for me. I made my second Hello fresh meal of spicy bbq salmon on a delicious salad. It was ready just in time for the Jim Cuddy livestream. We really enjoyed it.

Ashlée brought this crazy delicious dessert. She got it at Save-On and I am a big fan of the two I tried. And now I have a coconut shell dish.

After the concert and dinner we settled on the couch to finally watch Hamilton. It really is not my thing, but it is beautifully choreographed and I love several of the stars including Daveed Diggs, Okieriete Onaodowan and Christopher Jackson. There were some great moments and I suspect I may have liked it better if I had done my homework. It was nice to hang with Ash and I am grateful Sean and Diane dropped off my mower. All in all a lovely day.

There are many of our ABC crew that are unable to zoom tomorrow so it may be rescheduled. Nigel and Linda sent me the most touching video in messenger.

https://fb.watch/5v4rv5jGOd/

So sweet, made my day.

May 13, 2021

I told my alarm to give me another hours sleep and then got showered and ready in my ‘pink’ outfit complete with my Dr.Henry shoes so I would be ready to rock the jab appointment. Went to work and again made sure everything was done that had a hard deadline before Monday. I will admit to having stress stomach but had a great quick visit with Stacey when she brought me her paperwork complete with sausages and home made bread. I am going to her place on Sunday to clean the wine bottles and get ready for bottling at the end of the month. She lives on a beautiful ranch about an hour out of town. I headed to my appointment at the Curling rink and was pleased with all the happy people working there. Everyone was friendly and informative. The woman who gave me my shot was clearly a gifted nurse as I didn’t even feel it. I got the Pfizer vaccine and my little card. I was told by a friend about CANImmunize, an app for tracking and I downloaded it and will add all my current travel vaccines etc. I was thrilled that Paula Craig, a friend from my childhood visits to Kimberley was the nurse on duty to monitor us before we left. She even gave me a sticker!

I can’t even feel a spot where I was shot but know well enough that the next day can be the kicker so I shall not call a shutout. I delivered sausages to Rae and Diane and after work to Danika and Malcolm to thank him for dropping off my lawnmower to be serviced at Jim’s.

I have a Briggs & Stratton so I hope it is a quick and inexpensive fix.

It is sad to hear on the news today that Greyhound Canada is shutting down. I have travelled a great deal by bus over the years. It was often the only affordable choice and I feel sorry for those who will have no way to travel.

Today it was confirmed that a guy from High School died of an overdose. It breaks my heart. he was kind and talented, a musician, a father and grandfather. And he was only two weeks older than I am. Fucking addiction. There are no safe drugs anymore, it is not a fun night out, it is Russian roulette. RIP AK

Rae stopped by for a quick visit to bring me some paperwork. CRA is really doing a lot of reviews so far this year but I suspected it due to all the subsidies so I am ready. I like to be bullet proof, no stress. She is interviewing for a new job these days and it comes with it’s own stress as there are choices to make and there is fear of making the wrong one. I pray she has peace about it and will just feel in her gut which is the right one. I do think the less stressful one will be the right choice.

I have no bad feels from the vaccine but tomorrow could be a different story so I shall take myself to bed and see what tomorrow brings.