There is nothing much I can think about other than the snow crashing off my roof. There will be a peaceful period and then a huge thud that makes the cat leap out of her seat. I shoveled some of it when I got home but got nervous it would keep coming down on me so I will have to hope I can even move it in the morning. It even pulled the kayak hook right out of the wall.
Dinner was good but I had to get creative with the ingredients that were left after throwing out the frozen zucchini, spinach and parsley. I cooked up some pasta shells and layered them instead. It was tasty but a few more calories and I want to be careful as I have lost 6 pounds so far using Noom. I am learning to be more aware and choosy about my eating.
I am not feeling well but there has been a heavy use of Pinesol at work since the new janitor hasn’t started yet so the manager is cleaning during the day. It is irritating my nose and throat even if I wear my mask at my desk. I really do hope that is what the headache and irritation is about. I will take drugs and go to bed and see if I feel better in the morning. I will keep my distance as usual, just in case. I wish I could get a rapid test to be sure. I still have a sense of smell, so there’s that. I am going to be unimpressed if I have gotten the ‘vid.
I received an email that the show at Key City Theatre, 9 to 5: the musical, was cancelled due to the virus. I am sad for them, they put so much work into it and had one performance on New Year’s Eve. It was supposed to have a two week run starting this week. We have decided to keep going with our show until we hear we can’t. All precautions are being taken.
The day seems a blur again of work, CCT and FFPAS. There were moments of dropping and running, others of strict concentration to get payroll and remittances and sales taxes filed. The second banner was hung, concerns of close Covid connection were shared, Board meetings were attended, opinions shared…
The snow people are at it again. I have started a captioning post on Facebook due to the ongoing stress in their relationship.
I am so grateful to have super deals happening for advertising at the moment. One of the cast members works for two of the affiliated radio stations in town and was blessed by his boss with free ad spots. That is such a gift! He was also given permission to be interviewed with the Director at the other station in town. This was a surprise to both of us and will make for a great interview a week before the show opens. I made a time mistake on the press release but it is easily fixable and the rest of the press and posters going up is exciting. Things are rapidly moving along. I stirred a few pots today in and out of board meetings. That’s ok. I am not only here for my good looks, lol.
It is melting today and was freaky every time I stopped or cornered and snow began surging off my car. This was exacerbated by the fact that somewhere under my seats is a maraca that Emmy made out of a pringles can and popcorn kernels. It rolls around and sounds like something is oddly happening outside the car.
I listened to Bob Sagat comedy shows all day and he really was as crude as everyone said but you can’t help but be charmed and laugh at his delivery.. most of the time. Gone too soon, only 65.. sad.
I rushed home after we properly hung the banners to make my dinner but all the vegetables had been frozen before delivery. I reported it and hope for credit and just made the pork chops, seared in a pan and then air fried. DELICIOUS!
I just realized what time it is and that I should be in bed! I had a pretty intense day taking care of things for two paying clients and two non-paying gigs. I did enjoy it all and even got a walk in to go pick up the posters for the show as tomorrow is the big info release day. The article should be in the paper, we hung the one banner that arrived and will take care of the second one tomorrow, I prepped the posters by cutting the tear away slips and ripping one off to make people curious. It is a bit gimmicky but I hope it gets attention. The strip has the theatre website on it where you can buy the tickets. Every one took some posters and made a plan to hang them around town and in Kimberley. Once I got home, after supplying all the media info to Ashlée so she can make magic on our Facebook site, I ate some of the chicken I had cooked the other day and then started on the Christmas present she gave me last year. It was very good for destressing and I got lost in it. I only got two colour done but I am enjoying myself. And now to get some sleep!!!
I got up and made a coffee and settled in front of my puzzle, determined to finish it today. Mission accomplished!! I did get interrupted by a text to go for a walk with my neighbour and decided that was the exact thing I needed. As it turned out, I was right. The sun was shining, the conversation was great and the birds and icicles were fascinating.
I finished the puzzle and packed it away, madly began cleaning and then my friend Diane arrived with a scrumptious meal of shrimp and salad and fruit salad for dessert. We laughed and chatted and watched the 3rd and final in the Get Back documentary about the Beatles as we took down my tree together. My place feels huge with it gone. It was so nice to catch up and to feel safe to do so as we both are super Covid vigilant.
I settled to watch a show and got a message from my cousin to see if I was up for a call. She had been in Kimberley for the holidays to visit her 93 year old mom but we didn’t get to see each other to mitigate the risk. Two hours later we said goodnight. There are few people I can talk that long with on the phone. She is one of my people. There is nothing I can’t say to her, nothing that would shock her or make her love me less. She is a gift. I mean, I know I was a cute 2 year old when she met me.. what can I say. It was good to express my fears. I obsess these days about not being a burden to my kids. I am afraid that my mental health will turn me into someone that stresses them more than brings them joy. It is important to face those realities but it also keeps me living in fear of the future. I need to, as she reminded me, live in the moment and enjoy it. It is important to my mental health and really just to good quality of life on the daily. I will make it my mantra to just breathe and be. Here and now. I cannot control the future and will trust that no matter what I am loved and supported.. no matter what!
The absolute best part of my day was chatting with the ABCs who were available to Zoom meet. It feels like forever. There is talk of a desire to meet in the UK when Good Health allows. I would not be able to do that this year so it is hard to hear but I was ‘just’ there. Have to manage my hopes and dreams within my budget and redoing all the major things within my house have me paying down debt for now. Travel is not off the plate, just hanging on the rim. It was lovely to awake on a spectacularly sunny winter day to no further shoveling and then good company. There were more sad things happening than usual, but also some great things as well. The one picture I took looks like we are having such a serious moment. I believe we were listening and supporting each other, which is the best gift we all give each other. I have never made a better impulsive decision than to have decided I was going to Peru in 2013. It is the trip that turned into a lifetime journey!
I decided to go to the hockey game tonight and the same team that we apparently beat in OT last night won 5-0 tonight… sigh. The numbers are really down at the games too. I wonder how much that has to do win the virus spread happening. I heard a rumor that could affect an area of my life but until I hear from ‘the horse’s mouth’ it is just that, a rumour. Water off a Duck’s back
Sad news today that we have lost another icon. Sidney Poitier died today at the age of 94. It really is extraordinary how long people live now. His movies are some of my earliest movies. To Sir, With Love is one of may favourite, especially belting the song at the top of my lungs on the bike. It was on my mind ever since I hard the news.
I volunteered for Key City Theatre tonight and as much as I am so tired, I enjoyed the evening. It is the weekend of the Banff Centre Mountain Book and Film Festival. There were 7 short films this night with the shortest being only 5 minutes. I have to say they were all amazing but one took the cake. I defy anyone not to be moved to a good mood immediately upon seeing a Grizzly Bear Cub with the hiccups sitting on a log.
The day was full of shoveling and working. It is warmer now at least.
I imagine there is much stress this holiday season in the Ukraine. It is so hard for me to imagine that there is any war going on in the world at all. To imagine that Russia is trying to take over land of another country forcefully is so strange to me. I am sure I am oversimplifying it but seriously? How are there border wars for actual ownership. Here we are in Canada dealing with truth and reconciliation as well as Land Treaties and in other places in the world they are still taking ownership of others land… My family has roots in the Ukraine. I have never been there but would love to go some day. I only hope there is a beautiful place to go to.
On the home front, there was much shoveling again. The snow is still acting weird, hanging way out and also not melting in my car on the short drives I am making. Mr and Mrs Snowman are not speaking, seems he brought home something that is causing oozing sores.
Brett made a new item with his 3D printer that absolutely baffles me as it moves and has hinged joints. It printed as is with only the red added later. I don’t understand how the negative space works. It really is incredible.
Tonight was the first dinner I have had as a repeat as I loved it the first time. The only difference is that I left out the zucchini due to it being frozen in transit. Finished the 3rd of 4 puzzles in the collection and started sorting the last one.
I got my flu shot today and although my arm hurt for a bit I have no other feelings except joy at getting it done.
I sent the info to the printer for the posters and to the media outlets today. Tanner of Harbinger Design Co. has done a fabulous job of putting each different size together and has had a lovely nature through it all. I suppose it helps that I have been more patient than ever. These are trying enough times and she is volunteering a great deal of time.
I finished the evening sipping a lovely caffeine free tea out of my new mug. It works just as well for that as it did for Gin!
Today was very productive. I got a full 8 billable hours in, took down the work Christmas tree, packed away my office decorations, worked on theatre things, went to the rehearsal to drop off the e-cigs and meet Barry from the local paper to take photos for the press release I sent for publishing next Tuesday and set up Missy’s new drinking water fountain. I am hoping it keeps her from drinking out of George’s fish bowl. After that I made dinner and nearly finished my puzzle.
I am getting excited about the show now that I mulled over the idea of pulling the plug as the Omicron numbers are climbing rapidly and there was a death in Cranbrook. I decided we are going to keep going until we are told we can’t. We are following all protocols, have a half capacity house and it is being staged for least risk with distancing, etc. I gave the go ahead to start building the set! It was nice to check in today.
The property assessments came out today and my place went up 15%. I paid 128K in Aug of 2018 and it is now assessed at 171800.00 and that would not take in to account the improvements I have made: Kitchen, bathroom, all appliances, furnace and AC, and fence. Truth be told, my mortgage is as low as a decent car payment per month so I would be foolish to sell. The trick is to not leave debt behind. If it can be sold to pay anything I owe when I am gone, that is perfect. I have always thought that way about assets. A little morbid maybe. Oh I also booked my booster for next Friday! I get my flu shot tomorrow sonI will be all protected.
The snow is hanging like an awning off my roof which tells me I am not losing heat out the ceiling. It looks cool but it will all drop on my sidewalk to the front door eventually. I hope I am home so it doesn’t freeze there when it does. It was very fluffy today.
I hope you all had a good day, full of purpose or rest, whatever you need most. Or maybe you just need to know this book exists…
Some days I am an extraordinary communicator, others, I don’t even want to listen to the voices in my head. For some reason, I can’t figure out I had brutal insomnia last night. I probably should have started reading. Then the alarm went off and I thought, hmm what was that? Oh, crap, get up, get on the treadmill, back to regularly scheduled programming. I shoveled and cleared and finally made it in. I think there was a stressed air as the building had a leak on the far corner from my office and there was much bustling around. I took the first perceived to be judgy question and snarked back. I honestly got out of my car saying to myself, just smile and say Happy New Year. FAIL! It really was on me for reacting to subtext. By the end of multi-purpose Marnée day, I had worked on 11 paid and 2 unpaid files and put together the press release for the play. We plan to start selling tickets next week!!! That means the show is just over a month out. I will go to the rehearsal tomorrow night to see where they are at. I am so grateful for Tanner and Kimberly who take my slightest changes and run with them. We have come up with some pretty great advertising. It was important to me to make each thing it’s own design on the theme, banners, online poster, in life poster, website banner, and program.
The new advice from the Provincial Health Officer is that people work from home if they can, get all available shots (I booked my flu shot for Thursday, still waiting to hear on the booster) and don’t spend time with anyone outside your home basically. I have opinions about lots of choices people are making but only can do me and mind my beeswax.
I seem to be ripping through this puzzle, maybe my brain is just back in gear. yay!
Brett finished the creation on the 3D printer and it’s pretty cool that contraption.
It took me an hour to clear snow before making it to work. It was snowglobulous. Unfortunately the 1 hour payroll turned into 4 hours. I discovered an error the previous person had made in setting up the vacation pay so I took all the time necessary to reconcile it and add it to the 5 employees pay. I am glad I caught it on the first pay of the new year. That combined with the theatre work, left me getting home at 7. That is ok though as I worked on the advertising and paid some bills to get the list shortened. There was another 45 minutes of shoveling when I returned! I made dinner of frozen cordon bleu and brown basmati rice, at and puzzled and watched my 90 day shows. I feel like I am on the other side of the mud pit. I am not exhausted all the time. I am experiencing abdominal pain though so hope I hear from the specialist soon for my next scan. I just looked out the door and it seems there was only a skiff more since I last cleared. Let’s see what the morning brings.
I puttered at chores, watched a whole season of SNL and finished my puzzle finally. I also watched a movie that the kids were watching last night while I was with the others watching Goblet of Fire. The movie today was called New Year’s Eve and has very star imaginable in it. It was a very talented hallmark style movie. I enjoyed it very much! I also liked binging SNL, just easy watching and often funny.
I remembered to take the steak out of the freezer that I have been waiting for the right day to enjoy. I don’t remember ever having Bison. I just pan fried it and it was so incredibly tender and tasty. Well worth the price for the rare time I eat steak. I am mostly a seafood person which is good as I signed up for Noom the other day. It allows me to eat anything but has recommended foods for calorie control. So far I like the program. It is motivating, easy and factors in all aspects of my life. I will start meal planning and cooking from my own kitchen rather than the Hello Fresh and Good Food programs. That will also save money. I will let you know how it goes.
My cat has gone bonkers. Should you not hear from me tomorrow. Pleas send help!! I think she took a year to become playful around me. It’s that or the catnip mouse has more kick than I thought it would. She is funny.
One of my favourite things is a fresh calendar. I sit and transfer important dates over and try not to look ahead at the pictures. Each month becomes a surpris on the wall. It was 17 in and -17 out!
I spent the afternoon using what I had on hand to make 7 layer dip. After that I Decorated the gingerbread house that a friend gave me before I tidied up and headed to Rae’s. First Will and I watched the 3rd Harry Potter and then Roger cooked up a delicious Seafood meal. The prawns I had were what I enjoyed the most. Third we watched the 4th Harry Potter with a living-room full. It wasn’t over until nearly 10, but I enjoyed snuggling with Autumn and having my hair braided by Annika. They are heading back to Olympia tomorrow, very early. All three of the girls were much more fun to be around this time.
I enjoyed my day at work, running payroll, reconciling, assisting clients over the phone and getting to see Brett’s new toy in full action. I understand why rich people buy whatever they want. There are so many cool things available if you can just afford them. I am not griping, I have more than I need, I just see toys I would love to try sometimes. I heard from Danika that they were finally able to take baby Gwen home. Such good news.
After work we all went to the last hockey game of the year. We won 4-0 and our goalie was first star of the game against Trail. Once again I did not win the 50-50 draw. I drove Ashlée, Gene, Sawyer and Autumn home as it was way to cold to walk back.
It was nice to see all the kids but it was also nice to come home after, sink into a lavender bubble bath, smoke a cigarillo, sip a G&T out of my new mug from the besties in the UK and watch Don’t Look Up. It was one of the best movies I have seen in a while. I totally enjoyed all of it. It was lovely to hear the fireworks while I texted friends and family a Happy New Year as the movie was ending. All in all a lovely day.
The sad thing about today was that Betty White died just before her 100 birthday. She is the definition of a life well lived.
triumphgal 